Arms of Patrick Michael O'Shea, D.M.A.
O'Shea Coats of Arms
1381 to the Present
This page is meant to counter the frequently held misconception that a
coat of arms belongs to an entire "family." This is simply not
so. Armorial bearings are granted to individuals, and may, in turn, be
borne by their direct descendants. In fact, even some of the original
armiger's descendants might be required to make subtle changes to the
arms to show their relationship to the original armiger. This system of
changing arms to show relationship is called differencing, and
is practiced in a number of countries, especially Scotland.
Among Gaelic Irish families, clan totems, usually animals, were often later employed in the armorial bearings of specific lines, such as the red stag of the MacCarthys. In later grants of arms, the many O'Sheas employed the black swan as a "crest," i.e., that part of a complete achievement of arms that is placed on top of the helm (helmet). For this reason, it would be reasonable for all O'Sheas to bear arms based on the clan totem animal, the black swan. Further, different branches of these O'Sheas who do not otherwise bear arms could use different background colors to denote place of origin. The following are merely the author's suggestions:
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The extended sept or clan as a whole might also be symbolized more abstractly. I have devised a badge which could also be used as a form of "sept arms," that uses the color scheme most often associated with the O'Sheas (blue and gold, taken from the arms of Odoneus O'Shea, granted 1381), combined with a form of cross found on a Ogham stone at Killeenlagh, near the bank of the River Inny, in the ancestral territory of the O'Shea chiefs:
Proposed Sept Arms of Ó Séaghdha
Arms are depicted according to a technical description or "blazon" which describes the armorial bearings in heraldic terminology. The blazons may seem unusual to modern English speakers, since many of the words used (especially the colors) are derived from old Norman French. The following arms of various O'Sheas may be viewed by clicking on the appropriate link:
Archer-Shee (formerly of Ashurst Lodge)
Patrick Michael O'Shea, DMA (O'Shea of Woonsocket, Rhode Island)
Philippe Patrick O'Shea, LVO, New Zealand Herald of Arms
Fore more information on heraldry, visit the Heraldry section of the Uasal site!
