McShane, Bernard
Private
No. 21021, 1st Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Killed in action on Wednesday 11 April 1917 (aged 23)
Buried:
Brown’s Copse Cemetery, France (Grave II. C. 44)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Holywood and District War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
Bernard McShane was born on 12 March 1894 in Hill Street, Holywood and he was a son of Michael and Annie McShane (nee Bingham) who were married on 20 August 1882 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Church Belfast. Michael McShane (aged 23) from 14 McClure Street, Belfast was a son of Bernard McShane, a labourer. Annie Bingham (aged 22) from 5 Belmore Street, Belfast was a daughter of James Bingham, a labourer.
The McShane family lived in Hill Street, then Church View and then at 6 Trevor Street, Holywood.
Michael McShane worked as a gardener and he and Annie had ten children:
James (born 23 March 1883 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Margaret Anne (twin, born 28 December 1884 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Mary Jane (twin, born 28 December 1884 in Hill Street, Holywood; died of pneumonia 16 January 1886)
Annie (born around 1885/1886)
Thomas (born 1 July 1887 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Robert (born 27 May 1889 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Ellen (born 12 November 1891)
Bernard (born 12 March 1894 in Hill Street, Holywood)
Michael (born 15 February 1898; died 27 March 1957, buried in Bangor Cemetery)
Mary Elizabeth (born 28 November 1902 in Hill Street, Holywood)
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Bernard McShane enlisted in Belfast and that he had previous service with the Connaught Rangers (No. 2774) before he was transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers (No. 21021).
Private Bernard McShane (No. 21021) was 23 when he was killed in action on 11 April 1917 and he was buried in Brown’s Copse Cemetery, France.
Private Bernard McShane (No. 21021) is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial.