This website is a compilation of information and photographs about Red Island and the people who lived there. It's purpose is to preserve some of the history of the outport community that had existed for over 150 years until the time of the government's resettlement program in the late 1960s. The community continues to thrive today as former residents and many of the younger generation have built summer homes and the harbour is rarely without visitors.

Brian Hennessey began developing this website in the 1980s as a project based solely on his love for Red Island.  He is the grandson of James McCarthy and Julia Reddy and was born in Yonkers, NY in 1947, the son of Anastasia (nee McCarthy) and John Hennessey. Brian spent countless hours (and a lot of money) visiting the province and researching Red Island\'s history and genealogy (especially the Argentia Parish records) in developing the Red Island family tree. That information has helped many misplaced Red Islanders reconnect with friends and retrace their family connections. His contributions to Red Island, and indeed Placentia Bay, genealogy were exceptional.  Unfortunately Brian passed in 2021. The website will continue, dedicated to his memory.

Brian Hennessey Obituary

Brian V., 74, of Fair Lawn passed away peacefully on July 24, 2021. Born on March 20, 1947, in Yonkers, New York to the late Anastasia (nee McCarthy) and John Hennessey, he lived in Paramus, for most of his life and was a past member of the Paramus Civil Defense Rescue Squad. He received a BS in Business from Mercy College and his MBA from Long Island University. Brian was a retired AVP of Technical Services for the Bank of New York - Mellon.

As a young man he was an active athlete, playing softball, earning a brown belt in Karate, and enjoying downhill and cross-country skiing. He was an avid traveler and an ardent philatelist, model train enthusiast, and collector of Donald Duck memorabilia. Brian always had a passion for the history of his mother's homeland, Newfoundland, Canada and visited there many times over the years. He collected books about Newfoundland and created a website with photographs and documents relating to the history and genealogy of Red Island, his mother's birthplace. Brian was a passionate researcher who documented the multi-generational genealogy of both his parents families.

Brian was predeceased by a brother, John S. Hennessey. He is survived by siblings Victoria Hennessey Cummins (Light) of Denton, Texas; Anne Hennessey-Antoniazzi (Wayne) of Henrico, Virginia; Patricia Hennessey Shuey (Warren) of Collegeville, Pennsylvania; Sharon Hennessey Cummings (Kieran) of Midland Park, New Jersey and Stephen J. Hennessey (Patricia) of Catonsville, Maryland; along with his siblings children Katherine Cummins Schmitz (Michael) , Stephanie Shuey, Johanna Cummins Ojeda (Mario) , Dylan Cummings, and Janine Shuey and great nephew Reaugh Schmitz. Brian is also survived by his friends from the Northern New Jersey N-Track Train Club, Pascack Stamp Club and The Fair Lawn Senior Center.