Early life Patrick Augustine Sheehan

birthplace plaques, william o brien street, mallow, co cork

sheehan s father died on 13 july 1863 , mother died on 6 february 1864. following loss of parents, 3 surviving siblings, became ward of parish priest of mallow, dr. john mccarthy later became bishop of cloyne. responsibility sheehan household devolved on older sisters hannah , margaret.

when sheehan , brother denis (1854–1941), subsequently joined civil service, had been despatched secondary school, sisters entered convent of mercy in mallow. margaret sheehan made religious profession, sr. mary augustine, on death-bed before completion of novitiate. died on 7 november 1868.

hannah sheehan professed sr. mary stanislaus, , became mistress of schools @ mallow convent died young on 17 december 1871. john, youngest of family, died @ age of five.

in under cedars , stars sheehan wrote of childhood: strange never felt proximity of father , mother. of sisters, 1 in particular, dark-haired in family, has haunted me through life. no more doubt of presence , light touch on issues of life, doubt of breath of wind flutters tassel of biretta on head. yet strange not nearness farness .

early education received in long room national school in mallow. of school master later wrote: range of attainments limited, knew knew well, , impart pupils. did duty conscientiously constant, unremitting care, , emphasized teaching frequent appeals ferule .

one of classmates there journalist , parliamentarian, william o brien m.p., whom ally himself in later years. completed secondary education in st colman s college, fermoy, @ time coincided fenian rising, events of have profound effect on him. returned theme of violent insurrection in several of novels, notably graves @ kilmorna, recounting fenian incidents witnessed him while student in fermoy.