William O'Shea

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Captain William Henry O'Shea (184022 April 1905) was an Irish soldier and Member of Parliament.

Born in Dublin, O'Shea was a captain in the 18th Hussars of the British Army.

Around 1880, his wife, Katharine O'Shea, entered into a family relationship with Charles Stewart Parnell, with whom she had three children. O'Shea, who was already separated from his wife, knew of the affair. He only filed for divorce in 1890 after her aunt, from whom he was expecting a large inheritance, died in 1889, but her legacy was inherited by cousins instead.

O'Shea was MP for Clare from 1880 to 1885 and Galway Borough for a short period in 1886. Although supported by Parnell, he was never a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
James Patrick O'Gorman Mahon
Member of Parliament for Clare
18801885
Succeeded by
Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Thomas Power O'Connor
Member of Parliament for Galway Borough
1886–1886
Succeeded by
John Pinkerton