John O'Shanassy

Sir John O'Shanassy
2nd Premier of Victoria
In office 11 March 1857 – 29 April 1857
Preceded by	William Clark Haines
Succeeded by	William Clark Haines
In office 10 March 1858 – 27 October 1859
Preceded by	William Clark Haines
Succeeded by	William Nicholson
In office 14 November 1861 – 27 June 1863
Preceded by	Richard Heales
Succeeded by	James McCulloch
Personal details
Born	(1818-02-18)18 February 1818 Ballinahow, Tipperary, Ireland
Died	5 May 1883(1883-05-05) (aged 65) Boroondara, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	British
Spouse	Margaret McDonnell
Relations	Mary Marlowe, granddaughter

Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG (18 February 1818 – 5 May 1883), was an Irish-Australian politician who served as the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Port Phillip District (later Victoria) in 1839. He went into business in Melbourne as a draper, and by 1846 he was rich enough to be elected to the Melbourne City Council and to become the founding chairman of the Colonial Bank of Australasia. By the 1850s he was a major landowner and one of the wealthiest men in the colony. He also became a recognised leader of the large Irish Catholic community.