KDHS Zoom lecture: Photographing the Vandeleur Evictions by Ed O’Shaugnessy

This lecture was given by Ed O’Shaugnessy to the Kilrush and District Historical Society via Zoom on Tuesday 15 June 2021 at 8pm Irish Summer Time. One of the most famous evictions and resistance movements during the Land War took place in July 1888 on the Vandeleur Estate near Kilrush. The Vandeleur evictions are still remembered locally as one of the darkest periods in the area's history. Spectators to these evictions numbered in the hundreds, and there was even a sizeable press corps to document the events. Major E. J. O'Shaughnessy, a visiting Irish-American activist, his wife Margaretta Dunn O'Shaughnessy, and her sister Ellen Dunn, were among the witnesses to the evictions, and Major O'Shaughnessy subsequently wrote extensively about his experiences. Major O'Shaughnessy's greatgrandson, Ed O'Shaughnessy, has spent over six years studying the many photographs taken during the evictions and the photographers who took them. He has the wonderful advantage of access to family archives and memories handed down since 1888. Kilrush and District Historical Society was delighted that Ed agreed to allow us to take advantage of the anti-COVID-19 restrictions on in-person lectures by delivering a lecture on his findings over Zoom from the west coast of the USA. This is not Photographing the Evictions 101, but rather a more complete discussion. Ed O'Shaughnessy was a US Army line officer and a University of Washington executive staff member. He has master's degrees in public administration/political science and executive management. He also has an equivalent degree from the US Army War College. He is now twice retired from employment and happily engaged in historical research and publication. He develops articles from an ancestor's participation in some historical event. He has published articles in journals in Clare, Montreal and New York City, and has also produced articles for the O'Shaughnessy Society newsletter. His most recent previous Zoom presentation was to that group about emigration from the port of Limerick to Montreal in 1847. He has been an avid follower of KDHS via the internet for some years. Ed lives near Seattle, in the foothills of the Central Cascades, having first come to Washington state to attend college. His Clare ancestors includes Finucanes as well as O'Shaughnessys. At the time of emigration from Ireland in 1847, the family is thought to have lived near Coolmeen. For more on Kilrush and District Historical Society, visit http://kdhs.ie/