J. J. O'Shee

James John O'Shee or Shee (3 November 1866 – 1 January 1946) usually known as J. J. O'Shee, was an Irish nationalist politician, solicitor, labour activist and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland representing the constituency of West Waterford from 1895 until 1918. Elected as an Anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation member of the Irish Parliamentary Party he was one of the more socially radical members of the party. He co-founded and was secretary from 1894 of the Irish Land and Labour Association

Origins O'Shee was born as John James Shee on 3 November 1866 at Newtown, near Carrick-on-Suir Co. Tipperary as the youngest of four sons of John Shee, a farmer of good means, of Newtown Upper near the hamlet of Faugheen, north of Carrick-on-Suir and his wife Marrianne (née Britton). He had five sisters all of whom became nuns. A year later in 1895 O’Shee was elected as an anti-Parnellite to represent the constituency of West Waterford at Westminster, which seat he held until 1918.

From 1898 Sheehan put all his energies into building up the ILLA, which spread across Munster and by 1904 peaked 144 branches. Although Sheehan was a Parnellite when elected MP for Mid-Cork in 1901, the Sheehan-O'Shee's alliance reflected how the Parnell split could be bridged by seeking co-operation in an independent organisation. The Irish Party leadership on the other hand, refused to consider direct Parliamentary representation to the Land and Labour Association, an indication of the middle-class determination with maintaining its hold over national politics.

Party politics With the introduction of the Land Purchase (Ireland) Act 1903 won by William O'Brien MP, O'Shee achieved some notable successes in negotiating land purchase, the Bessborough (Ponsonby) estates being remembered as a particular triumph. O’Shee's organisation was forthwith the only one recognised by the Party and permitted to attend Irish Party or United Irish League conventions. O'Shee was mainly supported by the ILLA branches in Tipperary and Wexford. Sheehan's stronghold was in Cork, acting as O'Brien's backbone organisation, Kerry and Limerick were divided. Attempts at a reunion were thwarted by O'Shee's insistence that Sheehan must step down. In the long run the Party's intervention weakened Sheehan's renamed LLA group,