Shea

The word shea has two distinct origins, and consequent meanings. Each has its own pronunciation.

• The older, in Britain, is a Celtic surname, sometimes with the Irish prefix O' as O'Shea. It means 'a son [or descendant] of Séaghdha, and its pronunciation may be shown by its alternative spelling of 'Shay[e]': 'shay', IPA: /ʃeɪː/. Famous bearers of the name Shea or 'O'Shea include
  • the actor Milo O'Shea (born 1926) and
  • Kitty O'Shea, the abusive nickname adopted by the Irish mob for Katharine O'Shea (née Wood) (1845–1921), a married woman whose affair with Charles Stuart Parnell (1846–1891), whom she married in June 1891 (he died a few months later, according to ODNB weakened by "The rigours of the [scandal and] split [from W.H. O'Shea]]"). The scandal destroyed Parnell as a great champion of Irish Home Rule.
  • The Shea Stadium in New York, where baseball was played by the New York Mets, and American Football by the New York Jets, was named after William A. Shea, a lawyer who brought National League baseball back to New York. It was demolished in 2009.
  • Michael Shea (1938–2009), a British diplomat and Press Secretary to Queen Elizabeth, who wrote several thrillers under the pseudonym 'Michael Sinclair', as well as texts under his own name after he left royal service.
• The name of the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa or Butyrospermum parkii), the source of shea butter, is pronounced 'she' or 'SHE-ah', IPA: /ʃː or ʃː É™/. It is a label whgich originates from the Mandingo people from the same area of West Africa. The buttery substance extracted from its seeds has been used as a foodstuff in Africa since before its first mention in English, in 1799; in the developed world, it has become a cosmetic and ingredient in cosmetics.