Looking for Shanahan’s

Parishioners at St Mary’s Bungendore are restoring the stained glass window and trying to locate descendants of the Shanahan’s.

In 1874, The Queanbeyan Age said the stained glass window was the gift of Mrs Thomas Shanahan Junior of the Briars, Molonglo.

There were two Thomas Shanahans living at the Briars at the time.

The first was Thomas senior (1790-1874) buried in Bungendore cemetery and married to Catherine (1785-1882) buried at The Briars.

The second is Thomas Shanahan Junior (1816-1884), married to Mary Mulcahy Shanahan who died on November 11, 1911 in Goulburn.  Mary is buried at Bungendore Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

The parish believes the Mrs Thomas Shanaghan Junr named in the dedication panel of the window was Mary.  The panel was installed most likely in the 1960s.

Thomas’ headstone says he was a Magistrate of the Territory of New South Wales who died on April 16, 1884, aged 68.

It would be nice to find the location of Mary’s grave and mark it with a headstone.

If anyone knows of any descendants of Thomas and Mary Shanahan, could they contact Chair of the Parish Pastoral Committee David Webster at d.webster45@bigpond.com or 0417 235 492.