SOUTH TERRACE’S newest Irish pub Mons O’Shea has barely opened its doors and already it’s in need of a few Hail Marys — with the family of the late priest it’s named after crying foul.
Monsignor O’Shea, who was born in Ireland in 1925 and passed away in 2012, was director of Fremantle’s Stella Maris Seafarers’ Centre, and founded the Holy Trinity Church on Rottnest in 1975.
Monsignor O’Shea’s niece Mairéad McCarthy says his family was “shocked” to learn that the pub, which opened just last month, was named after the “beloved” priest who famously did not consume alcohol.
“In the promotional literature produced by the owner of the public house, my uncle is caricatured as a jolly beer-drinking priest who cycled about Fremantle,” Ms McCarthy said.
“He was in reality a teetotaller and did not cycle about Fremantle.
“His family in Ireland are distressed to learn of this development, which is wholly inappropriate.”
The Chook trawled through the Mons O’Shea’s social media only to find one such ‘caricature’, but it appears the lack of consultation before naming the pub has caused distress.
“[We are] deeply offended at the use of his name, a misrepresentation of what he was, and the good work that he did… it in no way reflects well or honourably on the work that he did for seafarers,” she said.
“I know that my uncle would be very disappointed to be represented in this cheap, opportunistic fashion… it ridicules the man, and he was not someone deserving of ridicule.
Mons O’Shea owner Simon Carthy says he made a “genuine effort” to contact any of Monsignor O’Shea’s family before he decided to brand the venue, but to no avail.
“We explored genealogical records through ancestry.com and researched local archives online, but unfortunately, these searches did not yield any leads… at the time, it appeared that there were no known living family members.”
“A few weeks before opening, we were contacted via social media by two relatives of Monsignor O’Shea… they were supportive of the concept and expressed no concern, which we took as a positive sign that our intentions were being understood and appreciated.”
The idea for the namesake for Mr Carthy’s pub came from a trip to Rotto with his daughter, where they visited the Holy Trinity Church and came across a newspaper clipping about the priest, whose story “resonated deeply” with the Irish-born pub owner.
“We wanted the pub to have a sense of identity and connection, more than just a name above the door… Fremantle has strong Irish roots, and we felt that naming the pub after Mons was a way to honour a piece of shared heritage while also telling a meaningful local story,” Mr Carthy said.
“As part of our due diligence, we visited the church on Rottnest and spoke with the current priest Fr Joseph, [and] he told us he wasn’t in contact with any living relatives and had no objections to our idea… in fact, he offered to bless the venue once it was ready to open.
“We also conducted some basic research into any legal considerations around using a historical figure’s name and found no restrictions.”
“Since launching, we’ve been humbled by the support from patrons and the wider community, [and] the inclusion of Mons O’Shea, alongside other historical references, artefacts, and narratives, has sparked meaningful conversations and helped create a venue rooted in both Irish Australian culture and the diverse history of the area,” he said.
“Regarding the recent comments around merchandise, in good faith we are temporarily removing any items that feature the likeness of Mons O’Shea… this is to allow the family time to contact us directly to discuss their feedback, and to give us the opportunity to address their concerns appropriately.”
by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER