1896 SHEEHAN Headstone Restoration

Calling all SHEEHAN descendants! Honour your ancestors by restoring a once beautiful marble headstone. After 120 years, the Celtic Cross has toppled and the inscription is almost indecipherable.

"Erected by Michael Sheehan in memory of his beloved wife Annie. Died 27 Jan. 1896. Aged 40."

MIchael Sheehan arrived in Dunedin, NZ from Ireland in 1875. He quickly found himself an Irish wife called Annie O'Shaughnessy. Together they had at least 8 children.

Times were hard and Michael struggled to find permanent employment. He was made bankrupt in 1880 with debts owing to "the Grocer, the Butcher, the Milkman and the Coal Merchant." Annie died at age 40 from "exhaustion" (as stated on her death certificate). Her youngest child was just 3 years old.

Michael had a beautiful headstone erected for her. It would have cost a small fortune as it is made of Italian Marble by the best Mason in Dunedin. He later buried 3 of his sons in this same grave.

When Michael died in 1932 he was buried in the same cemetery - but in an unmarked paupers grave.

Fortunately for all of us, his son Patrick James Sheehan survived. Grandpa Sheehan became a successful plumber and sports writer who had a large family of his own. His children were Patrick, Kathleen, Peter, Owen, Dennis and Terence. There are many, many Sheehan descendants from this lot!

Please help honour your ancestor Michael Sheehan by donating to the restoration of Annie's headstone.

ALL funds will go towards the full restoration to be carried out by Dunedin Monumental Masons Ltd and include: drilling, pinning, resting pieces back together, cleaning the marble and re-lettering the inscription.