James Henry O'Neill

Kauai's Artist Seamus Jim was born to Harry and Mary (Stirton) O'Neill on November 10th 1942, in Port Townsend. He was named James Henry after his two grandfathers whom he had never met. Our mother's father died when she was just 19 years old, and our Dad's step-father who had raised him died when Jim was just two years old. Jim graduated Port Townsend High School in 1961, and attended Puget Sound College in Tacoma where he was befriended by two students from Hawaii. To everyone's surprise, he then enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. Our mom teased Jim about he might bring home a pretty Panamanian, but Jim laughed and said if the situation got serious, he would just get up and take a cold shower! :) When Jim was growing up, he had tropical fish tanks in his bedroom, and also loved to fish and collect shells from the beach. Once he had snails heating on the kitchen stove, and our Dad came home for lunch, which he seldom did, and unknowingly tossed a couple hot dogs in the pot with the snails to cook! :) In 1966, Jim moved to Hawaii to become an underwater photographer. Ear problems ended his career, but fortunately the ocean and sea life were imbedded in his mind, he was able to paint what he had seen on canvas for others to appreciate. Jim loved living in Hawaii as it was truly his "Paradise", as it is to many.