Simon O'Shaughnessy : Short Biography

Simon O'Shaughnessy (1821-1889) is my Great Great Grandfather and I'm interested in learning more about his life in Ireland and his journey to Canada. Although I have been unsuccessful to date in finding information about Simon and his family in Ireland, I have managed to find Canadian records from the time of his settlement in the townships of Wilberforce and Bromley in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. All records and information compiled to date about my ancestors are contained and sourced within my family tree on Ancestry.ca and can be accessed here: https://www.ancestry.ca/family-tree/tree/176448755/family?cfpid=1922937…;

Information pertaining to Simon O'Shaughnessy's arrival to Canada is referenced in the "U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s" (https://www.ancestry.ca/discoveryui-content/view/2944995:7486?ssrc=pt&t…). According to this source, Simon O'Shaughnessy arrived in Ontario, Canada in the year 1871 at the age of abt. 50 years old. Much information remains unknown including: 1) the circumstances of his departure from Ireland, 2) departure date and location in Ireland, 3) family members whom accompanied him to his Canada destination  4) whether his family travelled and arrived at different locations and dates, 5) exact arrival port location and  arrival date and 6) passenger ship information etc.

From the Canadian records reviewed to date, it remains unclear as to where exactly in Ireland Simon O'Shaughessy is from. I have managed to access excerpts from one Canadian source, "The Found Families of Bromley (Ontario, Canada)" authored by Researcher, Carol Bennett-McCuaig and published in 1996 (https://heritagerenfrew.ca/book-founding-bromley/). McCuaig reports "Kilmurry, County Clare, Ireland" as his origin however I'm unclear of the author's reference of place name as it appears from various County Clare map descriptions there are multiple  "Kilmurry" locations. As such, I have selected multiple "Kilmurry" location links available on the IrelandXO drop down menu to be associated with Simon O'Shaughnessy. 

Ontario records of birth, land registrations, marriage, death, and census reveal that Simon O'Shaughnessy was born between 1809 and 1821, was a Roman Catholic, married Ann Kelly, had 8 children in Ireland with Ann Kelly, and died in either the Township of Wilberforce or Bromley, Renfrew County, Ontario between 1889 and 1890. The names of the known 8 children of Ann Kelly and Simon O'Shaughnessy whom were all born in Ireland are listed below with summarized information:

1) Mary O'Shaughnessy (1845-1878) married James McManus in Eganville, Ontario, Canada and died in Bromley, Renfrew Ontario

2) Margaret O'Shaughnessy (1849-Unknown) Married John Brady in Eganville, Ontario, Canada

3) Ann O'Shaughnessy (1853-Unknown)

4) Martin O'Shaughnessy (1854-Unknown)

5) Catherine O'Shaughnessy (1857-1924) Married Thomas Shields in 1879 in Eganville, Renfrew Ontario and then William Jennings in 1882 in Ontario.

6) Michael O'Shaughnessy (1857-1932) Died in Renfrew Ontario

7) Simon O'Shaugnessy (1861-Unknown)

8) My Great GrandFather, John O'Shaughnessy (1850-1914) Married Catherine Conway (1859-1890) in 1878 in Eganville, Renfrew, Ontario and my Great GrandMother, Mary Jane Shields (1859-1928) in 1892 in Renfrew, Ontario and died in 1914 in Bromley, Ontario