Rev Robert O'Shea
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Robert
Middle Names:
Daniel
Preferred Name:
Surname:
O'Shea
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Co Kerry
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
All Hallows, Dublin
Country of Ordination:
Ireland
Ordination Diocese:
Brisbane
Seminary:
All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Allora QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Toowoomba QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Brisbane | Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Charleville | Curate | Priests of 1928; Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; ACD 1889 p 126 | ||||||
| Brisbane | Logan/Albert | 1894 | Priests of 1928 | ||||||
| Rockhampton | ? | Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Maitland-Newcastle | Dungog | Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Childers | Parish Priest | Priests of 1928 | ||||||
| Brisbane | Esk | Parish Priest | Priests of 1928 | ||||||
| Brisbane | Goondiwindi | Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Allora | Parish Priest | Feb | 1921 | 1940 | Priests of 1928; Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Gravestone |
Biographical Notes
Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 54-55:
Archdeacon Robert Daniel O'Shea
Eccentric though he was said to have been, and he certainly looks that way in this photo with his biretta, O'Leary produced a very complimentary picture of Robert Daniel O'Shea as Parish Priest of Esk.
He was County Kerry born and ordained for Brisbane with Michael Potter at All Hallows in mid 1887. His first brief appointment was 'the Brisbane district', then Charleville, then with James Enright in the vast Logan & Albert area [1894].
For a while he was on loan to Rockhampton and also worked at Dungog in the Maitland Diocese. When he returned he went to Childers as Parish Priest, followed by Esk, Goondiwindi, and finally was in charge of Allara for 17 years.
O'Leary records in 1919 'R D O'Shea of Esk is still in excellent health notwithstanding his strenuous missionary labours of over a quarter of a century'.
Tom Boland refers to the reminiscences of Bill McGoldrick wherein the cranky Robert O'Shea customarily addressed his letters to Archbishop Duhig 'opposite Hunter's Garage, Fortitude Valley [i.e. Dara] and adds in an endnote that 'he was a noted eccentric who frequently denounced his archbishop from the pulpit. Duhig was consistently kind to him and enjoyed his denunciations.'
This trait does not seem to have gone against him for he was made a Vicar Forane [a Rural Dean] in the Toowoomba Diocese, his Golden Jubilee was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Allara in 1937 and he was 'given the high dignity of Archdeacon'.
Death came to him at the Allara presbytery at the age of 78 years on 2nd February 1940.
The funeral from St Patrick's Cathedral was largely attended, 'many Allora parishioners being present to pay respect to their late beloved pastor'. Several priests from Brisbane were also present. He was buried in the Toowoomba Cemetery.
(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)
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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Ven Archdeacon Robert D O'Shea, died 2 Feb 1940
Born in Ireland and studied at All Hallows. Robert O'Shea served in the Toowoomba area from 1887 - 1940. Fr O'Shea's most notable appointment was to Allora in 1921. His last entry in the registers there was 4th April 1937, although he was still resident in Allora in 1939. He died aged 77, and is buried in the Toowoomba/Drayton cemetery.
(Ref. Linane O225 and Archives)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.
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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev F/D O'Shea, Unknown date of death
Listed in Pugh's as serving in Charleville in 1889. Can find no other reference, unless T O'Shea, who died in Roma in 1899. Most likely it was Archdeacon Robert O'Shea who was working in the Toowoomba area from 1887-1940.
(Ref. Pugh's)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.