Please note that the annual Christmas Lunch will be held at the Bridge House Hotel on Sunday the 9th of December at 1p.m. The subscription ticket is £15 for adults and £7.50p for the children's menu. The guest speaker is Mr. Niall Sweeney, Offaly County Manager.
We look forward to having you and please book c/o 0506/21421. The lunch is not confined to members and guests are welcome.

The subject of Mr. Sweeney's talk is "A Historical overview of the development of the principal roads in County Offaly".

Christmas Draw

Christmas is on us again and we are enclosing our usual ticket for the christmas raffle which is always very well supported. This draw helps us to fund some small project during the year and we look forward to your continued support.

Newspaper Collection

We are currently improving our holding of newspapers and we hope to do the same soon in relation to microfilm readers. We are glad to report that the Tullamore Tribune from 1953 to 1970 has now been acquired by the Society on microfilm. We are looking at the possibilities of purchasing the following:_

1. The Leinster Leader from 1880 to 1970.
2. The Leinster Express from 1852 to 1900.
3. The Offaly Independent from 1922 to the 1970s.

We hold some issues of the Offaly Independent from 1890 to 1920.

You might also note that we also have the Irish Times on microfilm from 1859 to 1922 which is a very valuable record for historical research.

Purchases for Christmas

As you were advised in the last newsletter please remember that we have some beautiful framed Offaly prints together with books for purchase. Please call to the centre during office hours.

Offaly History and Society

This book of over 1,000 pages in hard back sells at £45. We would be happy to sell it to members for £40 and also to give 10% discount on other books and photographs.

Shap Mangan and Mrs. Mangan

We are pleased to report that both Shap Mangan and Mrs. Mangan are now back home after a bout of illness in hospital and we wish them all the best for Christmas. Shap has been an active member of the Society since it was reformed in 1969.

Proofreading for the Web

If you like to proof read for articles to go on our website at offalyhistory.com please contact Steve McNeill or Michael Byrne. We have upwards of twenty articles currently being typed or scanned which will need checking before loading on the internet site.

Also we need people to read through the existing website and give us their comments on any amendments they think would be necessary.

Working at home for OHAS

If you would like to do some research on a historical topic there is no reason why you could not work from home provided you have a computer and prepare your work on a disc with a view to loading it on the website. That way people all around the world can read your work and why not think about it.

Our thanks to Sean Hackett who has lately loaded onto the site the lecture by Jim Cullen of New York. Also to be found on our irishmidlandsancestry.com site is Dr. Jennifer Harrison's work on Offaly emigrants to Queensland.

This year's Christmas Lunch will be held at the Millennium Room of Bridge House Hotel at 1p.m. on Sunday the 9th of December. The luncheon price is £15 and for children's menu £7.50p. The format is much the same as last year's but this year's guest speaker is Mr. Niall Sweeney, the Offaly County Manager. We look forward to seeing you and hope that you will be in a position to book early through the centre at 21421 or by email.

History on the Net

The above is the subject of a presentation on Thursday night the 29th of November at 8p.m. in our Conference Room at OHAS Bury Quay. All are welcome to attend. It is intended to have members of the Society and guests to make presentations on Offaly History and Irish History on the internet. The launch of our two web sites www.offalyhistory.com and irishmidlandsancestry.com will take place on the 29th of November 01 at our centre at Bury Quay Tullamore. Both web sites will be by launch by Mr. Sean Halligan of FAS.

Our guest speakers will include Mr. Noel Guerin, Ms. Sandra Dunne, Mr. John Kearney and Mr. Sean Hackett.
This is your opportunity to keep up to date with a fast growing area which has tremendous potential for historical studies.

Books for Christmas

Please remember that we have some beautiful photographs both framed and unframed which would be ideal for Christmas presents and you should call to the centre during office hours to take a look. We also have some wonderful books as per the attached list which will be of interest to you and to your friends. Why not give a present of a distinctive and lasting item this Christmas

John Killaly Commemorative Plaque

We have arranged with the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and Professor Ron Cox of Trinity College to have a plaque erected at the Heritage Centre to commemorate the memory of John Killaly who was a surveyor and canal engineer and came to Ireland in 1794 joining the Grand Canal Company at an annual salary of £150. He married a lady from Tullamore by the name of Alicia Hamilton. One of his sons Hamilton Hartly Killaly later become the first president of the Canadian Society of Engineers. More details of Killaly's career are flagged on our website at offalyhistory.com and will be sent also to members having email. The note was compiled by Professor Cox and we are grateful to him for his co-operation.

Lecture on Eskers

Thanks to John Feehan for his wonderful lecture on Eskers on the 25th of October. As usual he gave a distinguished performance and we would hope that his message is not lost on the substantial attendance.

Durrow High Cross

There have been no developments here of note. No planning application has been made for development and as far as we know the County Council has not yet amended the Development Plan to allow for the proposed variation.
On a more pessimistic note the owners of the Estate (excluding the cemetery) - together with the right of way, have not as far as we know concluded any agreement with Duchas to allow access to the monument to carry out necessary remedial works. The matter will be coming up at the next meeting of the Society Committee.

Battle of Kinsale

The four hundreth anniversary of the Battle of Kinsale is the subject of the Kinsale Winter School to be held on the 6th of January 2002 and we have now received the details of the provisional programme.

Frank McGovern RIP

Our sincere sympathy is extended to the family of Frank McGovern and also to the company he worked for many years, Cantrell and Cochrane on his recent sudden death. Mr. McGovern was a member of the board of Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and was a key player in the promotion of the idea of the centre and its subsequent development from 1995 onwards. His advice was always to the point and his contribution to the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre will be greatly missed.

Jim Cullen Lecture

We want to express our sincere thanks to Jim Cullen of New York who is a member of the Society and who gave a very interesting talk on his career to Brigadier General in the American army. He is now a lawyer practising on Wall Street and with a deep interest in human rights issues in Northern Ireland. The text of his lecture is now available on our web site courtesy of our member, Sean Hackett.

James Dillon coroner

Information is sought on James Dillon in connection with an inquest held in the 1840s and his swearing of a deaf and dumb man named John Pearson at Lusmagh to give evidence. Any information about this can be passed on to the Secretary for the benefit of Ms. Rachel Pollard who is preparing an article for the Journal of the British Deaf History Society.

Offaly Heritage Journal

We will shortly be writing to all those who might be interested in presenting an article to the journal to remind them of publication dates and if you have not already responded or have not indicated your interest in preparing an article would you please do so as soon as possible, to Rory Masterson, Screggan, Tullamore.

Additions to Library

We lately acquired further books for our library including the following:-

1. Two volumes on the inquisitions in relation to Irish land held in the first half of the seventeenth century and which were published by the Irish Records Commission in the 1820s. These are rare items and were purchased in England.
   
2. A bibliographical guide to diaries of English and Irish interests published over the last 300 years and also with reference to manuscripts diaries.
3. The most recent six volumes in the local history study series bringing the total we now have in the library to 40.

The library catalogue is now available at reception on computer and can be checked for items that may be of interest to people. We also have available a local history data base which can be looked at for research purposes.

Emma Lucy Costello, Tullamore

Would anybody having information on Emma Lucy Costello who worked as a teacher in the intermediate school Tullamore in 1926 contact us. Apparently she was interested in the design of the Irish Coinage and information has been requested about her by Colm Gallagher who is preparing a book on the Irish Coinage of 1928. This writer recalls hearing that the Costello sisters ran a school possibly in Church Street known as Tullamore Select Academy (Tullamore Silly Asses) and perhaps this is the same school. Some of our older members may be able to help.

Cloneygowan History

Mr. Patrick Goode has contacted us in connection with his proposed book on the History and Heritage of Cloneygowan, A Midlands Village - Cloneygowan. The book is ready and is about 150 pages in size. He hopes to publish it soon and if you would be interested in subscribing in due course you might let us know.

Additional Historical material for web sites

Lately we have been provided with an article on Offaly emigration to Queensland by Jennifer Harrison who sent us her work by email attachment. Likewise we have been provided with the text of Jim Cullen's lecture in early November to the Society. Both of these documents are now available on the web and if you are interested in doing research on Offaly and would like to email it to us or send us the disc we would be happy to review it with a view to placing it on our web site. Likewise if you are interested in working on a research project from a distance perhaps you would call us by email and we could suggest certain work that you might like to do and which you can do quite easily from your own home sending on the finished product in due course for publication on the web site. Your contribution will of course be acknowledged in the website.

Thursday 25th October at 8.30p.m. at OHAS Bury Quay Tullamore

The October lecture will be given by Dr. John Feehan who is well known in this area because he hails from Birr and is currently lecturing in Environmental Studies in U.C.D.

The Lecture is of great interest to Offaly people because of the importance of Eskers on the landscape of the County and your attendance at this illustrated talk would be appreciated. Dr. Feehan is a distinguished lecturer and we are fortunate to have him. All Lectures are open to the public and an admission subscription is needed but is voluntary.

Eskers are one of the most distinctive, widespread and important features of the Offaly landscape. They formed towards the end of the Ice Age, and provide a window through which we can glimpse the most formative time in the shaping of the county's landscape. They have also had a direct and profound impact on the way human history has run its course in Offaly. This lecture will look at all of these facets of a fascinating topic, making use of the latest geological insights into the ways in which the eskers formed.

Annual General Meeting

The annual general meeting of the Society which was deferred due to the F.M.D. problem will be held at 7.30p.m. on the 25th of October ie one hour before the lectures on Eskers.

The Agenda is as follows:-

1. Minute of Annual General meeting of 2000
2. Report of Chairman
3. Report of the Secretary
4. Report of the Treasurer
5. Elections of Officers.

Outgoing or existing committee is as follows:-

Steve McNeill, Chairman
Membership Secretary
Treasurer: Peter Burke
Honorary Editor: Dr. Rory Masterson
Michael Byrne, Sec.

Committee: Ms. Helen Bracken, Mr. Noel Guerin, Ms. Breda Hoey, Mr. James Mathews, Ms. Mary McGuinness, Mr. Matt Mooney, Mr. Peter Burke, Mr. Owen Clyne, Mr. Fred Geoghegan, Mrs. Anne Horan, Mr. James Kenny, Mr. Shap Mangan, Mr. Ted Maxwell and Ms. Marie Neville.

Microfilm of Offaly Newspapers

We have now ordered the Midland Tribune from 1953 to 1970 and as advised in the last newsletter purchased a new Kodak microfilm reader. Unfortunately two of our existing readers are giving trouble and we will have to get them repaired if possible. In addition the microfilm reader printer is about ten years old and will need to be replaced soon.

OHAS Photograph Catalogue

As you know from a previous newsletter we have a collection in excess of 30,000 photographs of Offaly interest and some of these include important collections such as Hanly, Lawrence, Magan, Harris, Fetherstonhaugh and Offaly and Laois postcards.

We have catalogues available of some of these collections but the main collection of general photographs of Offaly is now underway and two of the staff are reviewing the first eighteen thousand pictures which were indexed sometime ago on an MS Access database and checking it with a view to then proceeding to add to the catalogue. This is a very big job and if you would be interested in helping out on Thursday nights or at another time please let Steve McNeill know of your interest.

In relation to the book catalogue we have added again to the catalogue and we hope to put the catalogue on our Internet website shortly so as to facilitate members in accessing it without having to print it off. Enclosed is an extract showing books recently acquired for the Library.

Offaly History and Irish Midlands Ancestry Web sites

We enclose details of the contents of the research elements of the Offaly History and Irish Midlands Ancestry web sites for your information and we strongly recommend that you would look at the web site and let us have your views on improving the site and adding to it.

New Members

If your subscription for the year 2001 has not yet been paid would you please do so as possible as your funds are needed in order to progress the work of the Society.

Subscriptions are:
Students £10 (€12.70)
Individuals and Families £20 (€25.40)
Corporate £50 (€63.50)
Friends of Offaly Heritage £50 (€63.50)

Bord na Mona talk by Paddy Hughes

We want to express our thanks to Mr. Paddy Hughes the former C.E.O. of Bord Na Mona who kindly agreed to give the September Lecture. It was a very interesting evening and Mr. Hughes presented his lecture with the help of photographs from the early days of the Turf Board and had them all placed on a CD and used the full facilities of the conference room which is good to see.

FAS Report - John Kearney

A report on projects in progress at the Research Centre. One of the major projects currently is the continual development of our two websites, adding information as frequently as possible. Maureen Kincaid is researching in Laois Library on Laois worthies and we are grateful to the staff there for their help. If anyone has anything further to add to the current list for Laois or Offaly (list appended) please let us know at info@offalyhistory.com.

Other projects

Scanning and categorising old photos for our websites.
Scanning/typing material for family history reports, local history resources and websites.
Computerising 1911 Census for Birr and Tullamore.
Family history enquiries continue to arrive daily through email, post and personal callers.

Forthcoming events

November Mr. Jim Cullen

9th December annual Christmas lunch at Bridge House Hotel Tullamore at 1p.m. Guest Speaker: Mr. Niall Sweeney, Offaly County Manager, Lunch £15 (children's menu £8)

The Modern Story of St. Cronan,s Roscrea Co. Tipperary

George Cunningham, a member for many years and a well known local historian has recently published the modern story of St. Cronan's, Roscrea; its clergy, people and parochial buildings. The book is available at £12 in paperback from the Society and £30 in hardback (for the second reprint of the hardback. The first reprint is now out of print of the hardback edition. The book is A5 in size and consists of 186 pages including subscribers. The first hardback edition was limited to 150 copies.

Roscrea Conference Cistercian Abbey Roscrea Co. Tipperary 2 to 4 November 2001

Details of this Conference have been received by the Society and if you would interested in attending you might contact the Reverend Fr. Nivard Kinsella, Guestmaster, Mt. St. Joseph 0505/21711, fax 22198. This is the twenty-ninth conference organised by Roscrea Heritage Society and Rosrea people. A copy of the leaflet is available at the OHAS Centre.

Reading Resources on www.offalyhistory.com website

Archaeology
The Dowris Treasure
Sacred Site of Dowris Hoard yields amazing insights

Irish interest - general
Ireland and the American Revolution(51KB)
Wesley in Ireland 1748-1789(148kb)
Some Irish Victoria Cross Recipients

Offaly - general
The distilling industry in Offaly 1780-1954
The King's County - from the King's County Directory, 1890
Love's Old Sweet Song -- biography of James Lynam Molloy
The origins and growth of Offaly towns and villages 1550 to 1841
Road Rail and Water
Grand Canal visitors to Offaly
A-Z of Offaly (King's County) in 1837 by Samuel Lewis
Local Government in Offaly - A Survey of Structures
Midland Tribune snippets from 1900
Offaly Bibliography by Subject
Bernard Charles Molloy, M.P. for King's Co.
Distilling Industry in Offaly
The distilling industry in Offaly 1780-1954
Banagher Distillery
Tullamore Dew
Tullamore Distillery
Travellers in Offaly (King's County) in 1800s
Atkinson's travels in Offaly over 150 years ago
Thomas Lacy visits Birr -- 1863
Thomas Lacy visits Birr Castle -- 1863
Tullamore in travel guides of 150 years ago
Inglis visits Banagher -- 1834
Lacy visits Daingean (Philipstown) and Edenderry in 1855
An Oxford Professor, Nassau William Senior, visits Birr (1852, 1858 and 1862)
Thomas Lacy visits Tullamore and Charleville Castle -- 1863
Caesar Otway and Patron Day at Clonmacnoise
Neighbouring Counties
A Westmeath Rebellion - Kilbeggan in 1798
Brusna (Locke's) Distillery, Kilbeggan
Portarlington - French Town
A-Z of Laois (Queen' County) in 1837 by Samuel Lewis

Books or Articles
Ballycumber -- The Strange Story Of The Glassy Pond
Banagher Co. Offaly
Banagher's Famous Residents
Banagher as a corporate town
Banagher Distillery
Banagher Royal School
Messrs. Perrys' Mills Belmont
Macregol's Gospels - The Book of Birr
Childhood glimpses at Birr Castle
Birr Parish and Church
Birr--The making of a model town
Sources for the history of the Town of Birr
Dedication of St. Manchan's Church Boher, 1939
Broughal Castle
Clara: The Armstrongs and Ambrose Cox
Clara Parish
Goodbody's Jute Works (Clara)
Memoir of Robert Goodbody, of Mountmellick, Clara and Tullamore, 1781-1860
Caesar Otway and Patron Day at Clonmacnoise
Clononey Castle
From Philipstown to Daingean - Down Through the Years
Daingean - Some Unfriendly Reports (1724 - 1846)
Daingean Reformatory described
Sean Bourke's description of Daingean Reformatory
DURROW
A Monastery at Durrow 550-1550
Who Killed Lord Norbury (Durrow)
The Old Church at Drumcullen, near Kinnity
Dean Digby and Geashill in 1798
Edenderry through the ages
The Kilcormac Missal
The Kilcormac Pieta
Killeigh Abbey
Killeigh Parish
Kinnitty Castle and the Bernards
Leamonaghan - St. Manchan
The Burning of Leap Castle
Shinrone incident reported by John Wright
Slieve Bloom - The Hills at the Heart of Ireland
Tullamore
Gortnamona
A Short History of Tullamore Agricultural Show
Tullamore Workhouse
CHARLEVILLE DEMESNE 1600 - 1900
Balloon Fire in Tullamore -- 1785
Tullamore in travel guides of 150 years ago
Tullamore Distillery
The Grand Canal and Tullamore
Tullamore and its Environs
A Walk Through Tullamore
Thomas Davis Lecture on Irish Towns No. 11 - Tullamore
Great Tullamore Houses
The History of Tullamore Gaol
Kilcruttin Graveyard and the Famine (Tullamore)
Tullamore Dew
When Tullamore had a Tobacco Industry
Tullamore in travel guides of 150 years ago
Early History of Tullamore (Dr. Moran reprint)

Resources on www.irishmidlandsancestry.com website

Some Anglo Irish Families
Parnells of Queen's County, Digby, Parsons, Moore / Bury, Lyons, Armstrong, Saunders, Baldwin, Warburton, L'Estrange, Vaughan, Nesbitt, Minchin, Atkinson, Bernard, Drought
Old Offaly Gaelic Families
Richard Dempsey - Last Will and Testament
Old Laois Gaelic Families
Family Crests
More Laois and Offaly Surnames

Famous Laois & Offaly People
Offaly
Fr. Paddy Dunne
Rev. Dr. Michael MacAlroy
Fr. Patrick Bermingham
Hugh Mahon
Rev. Francis Sadleir
Sir Herbert Holt
Bishop William Quarter
William Bulfin
Cornelius Heeney
Admiral Sir Henry Darby
James Lynam Molloy
William J. Casey
Dick McRedmond
Charles Jervas
T.W. Rolleston
Rex Ingram
Rev. Dr. Timothy Corcoran
Kate Shelly - Railway Heroine
Joseph Stirling Coyne
Macregol - Bishop of Birr
Earls of Rosse
The Williams Family & Tullamore Distillery
James Meehan
George Johnstone Stoney
Offaly Writers
Contribution of Offaly Writers to Irish Literature
Edward Hand
John Joly
Edward Redmond
Francis & Mark Foy
Hovenden Hely
Peter Morgan Jageurs
Sir Thomas Naghten Fitzgerald
Thomas O'Grady
William Telford Webb
Anthony Trollope
Bartholomew Elliot George Warburton
Mary Ward
The Poet Edward Egan
William O'Connor Morris
A. M. Munster
Matthew Pilkington

Recent Library Acquisitions

Bardon, Jonathan A Guide to Local History Sources in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland -Blackstaff Press Ltd Belfast 2000
Bi-Centennial Committee 1999 Ratheniska 1800-2000 -JPF Printers Stradbally Laois 2000
Buttimer, Anne (ed) Sustainable Landscapes and Lifeways -Cork University Press Cork 2001
Byrne Michael Tullamore, The Growth Process 1785-1841 -OHAS
Chandler Edward & Walsh Peter Through The Brass Lidded Eye -Guinness Museum Publication Dublin 1989 Condit Tom & Cooney Gabriel (ed) The Doon of Drumsna Archaeology Ireland - Heritage Guide No 1 -Duchas 1998
Condit Tom & Cooney Gabriel (ed) The Stone Circle at Castleruddery Lower Archaeology Ireland - Heritage Guide No 13 -Duchas 2001
Connolly, S J Priests and People in Pre-Famine Ireland 1780-1845 -Four Court Press Dublin 2001
Coogan Tim Pat Wherever Green is Worn -Random House UK Ltd London 2000
Corish, Patrick J & Sheehy, D Records of the Irish Catholic Church -Irish Academic Press Dublin 2001
Cullen, Owens Rose Louie Bennett -Cork University Press 2001
Cunningham, P J A N Other -Dub Press 2001
Curtis, Perry L Jr Images of Erin in the Age of Parnell -National Library of Ireland 2000
Edwards, Cliff Railway Records -Public Records Office Surrey 2001
Fitzpatrick, Wm J Memoirs of Richard Whately Vol 1 & 2 -Richard Bentley London 1864
Gallagher Ml & Laver Ml (ed) How Ireland Voted 1992 -Folens Dublin and PSAI Limerick Press 1993
Garner, William Churches and Houses Architectural interest in Co Offaly -Offaly Historical Society Tullamore 1985
Greig, William General Report on the Gosford Estates in County Armagh 1821 -Her Majesty's Stationery Office Belfast 1976
Griffin, David J & Pegum, Caroline Leinster House -Irish Architectural Archive Dublin 2000
Herlihy, Jim Dublin Metropolitan Police The -Four Court Press Dublin 2001
Hooper, Glenn Letters from Ireland Harriet Martineau -Irish Academic Press Dublin 2001
Hutchinson, John (ed) Patmos -Douglas Hyde Gallery Dublin 2001
James, D & O'Maitiu, Seamas (ed) Wicklow World of Elizabeth Smith The, 1840-1850 -Woodfield Press Dublin 1996
Kissane, Noel Parnell -National Library of Ireland Dublin 1991
Landes, David S Wealth and Poverty of Nations -Little Brown & Co London 1998
Levinstone, Cooney, Dudley Methodists in Ireland -The Columba Press Dublin 2001
MacDonagh, Oliver Ireland -Prentice-Hall Inc New Jersey 1968
MacNamara, N C The origins and History of the MacNamaras -Martin Breen Publisher 1999 (first published 1896)
Millennium Committee Project History of Aghaboe Parish -Quality Printers Portlaoise 2000
Oak Partnership Transport Study -Brosna Press 1998
O'Brien, Bridie How We Were, in the parish of Kilbarron -Terryglass Co Tipperary -Relay Books Nenagh 1999
O'Carroll, Ellen Archaeology of Lemanaghan, The story of an Irish Bog -WordWell Ltd Wicklow 2001
O'Connell, Patricia The Irish College at Lisbon 1590-1834 -Four Courts Press Ltd Dublin 2001
O'Dwyer, Frederick Lost Dublin -Gill & Macmillan Ltd Dublin 1981
O'Grada, Cormac A Rocky RoadManchester University Press 1997
OHAS The Midland Boroughs in the 1830s -OHAS Offaly 2001
O'Leary, Liam Cinema Ireland, 1896-1950 -Nation Library of Ireland 1990
Peatling, G K British opinion and Irish self-government 1865-1925 -Irish Academic Press Dublin 2001
Prochaska, Alice Irish History from 1700. A Guide to Sources in the Public Record Office -British Records Association 1986
Redmond, Paul Gravestone Inscriptions -JPF Print Laois 1997
Rossmore, Lord Things I Can Tell -Nash Eveleigh London 1912 Sixties Club Members Bygone Days in Camross -publisher not known
St Fergals College Rathdowney Ar nDuchas -Walsh Printers Roscrea

Thursday 20 Sept. @ 8.30p.m. at the Research Centre

Mr. Paddy Hughes the former Chief Executive of Bord Na Mona who retired late last year has agreed to give a talk on his time in Bord Na Mona over forty years up to his retirement. Bord Na Mona was a significant company for the history of economic development in County Offaly over the period since 1940 and Mr. Hughes will be dealing with aspects of his own involvement in the company. We hope for a large attendance at this important presentation. The time is 8.30p.m. and refreshments will be served afterwards.

Microfilm of Offaly Newspapers

We are currently arranging to purchase the Midland Tribune on microfilm reader from 1953 to 1970. We lately purchased an additional microfilm from Kodak at a cost of £2,500 and it would our aim to upgrade the existing microfilm reader printer at an early date. Unfortunately the cost is high and could be anything from £6,000 to £10,000. We are looking at the possibilities of a transfer from microfilm to digital but the cost is somewhat horrendous. A few of us intend to go Blanchardstown Library shortly to see the facilities in place there.

OHAS Library Catalogue

The Library Catalogue has now been completed up to about 5,000 items and is up to date. The catalogue is on a computer Access database and means that books can be found with little difficulty. To%date we have entered on the catalogue our printed books, audio tapes and video tapes together with microfilm and newspapers. We have not as yet had time to catalogue the manuscript collection.

Our thanks to all involved.

The library represents a very substantial investment for the Society and will be a benefit to Offaly for many years to come as it constitutes an important collection of material on Offaly History and on Irish History which is being added to virtually on a daily basis.

New Books on Offaly

We have three new books for sale on Offaly, lately published

1. Clonmacnoise    £10
2. Birr 697 and Adamnan    £30
3. The Archaeology of Lemanaghan Bog    £4.95

We also have a lot of other books for sale and we will be emailing this list to members and it may also be consulted on our web site www.offalyhistory .com.

Offaly History and Irish Midlands Ancestry Web sites

We are continuing to make rapid progress with offalyhistory.com and irishmidlandsancestry web sites. Our host is novara.com and web masters are Mr. Sean Hackett for offalyhistory.com and Ms Sandra Dunne and Mr. John Kearney for irishmidlandsancestry. The number of hits per day on the Offaly history site is of the order of 200 while that for Irish Midlands Ancestry is about 170.

The source of usage by country for September is very mixed with visitors coming from the U.S., U.S. Commercial, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom Ireland and Australia.

Currently we need a panel of proof readers to check material going on the web site which is being scanned in and to date the following is the panel:

1. Dr. Rory Masterson
2. Ms. Breda Hoey
3. Mrs. Kathleen Geoghegan
4. Mr. Jim Kenny

If you would like to help and you are based near Tullamore or you have email we would be obliged if you could assist in checking material so that we can make the necessary corrections.

The need for new members

We are all the time on the watch out for new members and for existing members to discharge their annual subscription. If your subscription is still due for 2001 you will be receiving a letter with this newsletter by way of reminder. If you would be interested in direct debit or standing order please let us know. We enclose the form involved for the standing order which is easier to manage with the banks than direct debit.

For new and existing members we want to point out that the advantages of membership are as follows:

1. Regular notification of all items of Heritage interest in County Offaly generally on a monthly basis.
2. The holding of monthly lectures and outings.
3. Regulated access to the Society's Library each Thursday evening and by appointment.
4. 10% discount on all of the Society's books where possible and with some exceptions where the Society is selling on these books to support the authors at no discount.
5. Your subscription will be a support to the development of our work in Offaly on building a library, building up a web site and providing a forum.

The Photographic collection

We have resumed work on our photographic collection. Currently we have a list of 18,000 photographs in an access data base and we want to expand this to 35,000 . This will take an amount of time as the photographs have often to be identified and the persons in them and it is a slow tedious process. We have also to upgrade the manner in which the photographs are held so as to store them in acid free boxes covers etc. Our recent visit to the Irish Architectural Archive was helpful in this regard. If you would be interested in helping out with the photographic identification perhaps you would like to come on Thursday night of each week and we can work as a group on this particular project. If this would not suit there is ample other work in the Society which members might be prepared to do either by coming tc the Society or indeed by working through email.

Research work in progress

New projects are in progress on a daily basis at the Society's centre and these include the following:

1. An up dated Chronology of Events for Offaly from the earliest times to the latest date which now runs to about fifty pages and which we hope to put on the internet soon.
2. A listing on an access data base of all the cemeteries inscriptions for Laois and Offaly. This work is in progress.
3. A listing of the land owners in Laois and Offaly in 1876.
4. A listing of the Laois voters of the 1750s.
5. The scanning of photographs and other material to add to the web site of offalyhistory.com and www.irishmidlandsancestry.com. conservation works. These buildings are a matter of national importance and indeed international importance and it is essential that the relevant authority prepare a study of how best these properties can be conserved. All of them would presumably be listed under the recent listings and would have the benefit of the Planning Act 2000 and the earlier legislation. A brief history of the estate without pictures is on our web site.
6. The regular response to family history queries by people calling to the Centre, by email and by post.

This is very time consuming work but the quality of the reports has greatly improved in recent years and we are satisfied to provide this service for as long as it can pay its way.

Durrow High Cross

There is little in way of change here and we are not aware as yet as to what the current situation is in relation to the proposed expenditure of £1 million on necessary conservation works at the site.

Charleville Demesne

The Society organised an interesting walk to Charleville Demesne as part of Heritage Week and the Balloon Festival. What comes possibly not as a surprise but as a matter of concern is the deteriorating condition of the grotto and Camden Tower. The castle itself is also in need of conservation works. These buildings are a matter of national importance an dit is essential that the relevant authority prepare a study of how best these properties can be conserved. All of them would presumably be listed under the recent listings and would have the benefit of the Planning Act 2000 and the earlier legislation. A brief history of the estate without pictures is on our web site - www.irishmidlandsancestry.com.

Membership Renewal

Please note that if your address label indicates 2000 or earlier your membership fee for this year is still outstanding. Please support the Society and its work by sending in your fee as soon as possible.

• Students: €12.50
• Individuals and Families: €25
• Overseas Members: €25
• Corporate subscription: €63.50
• Friend of Offaly Heritage: €63.50
• Life Membership: €317

Please note that we have a substantial number of activities lined up for the Phoenix Festival weekend and the Heritage Week as set out below.

1. Friday 31 August 01 9p.m. Lecture on the Balloon Fire in Tullamore by Michael Byrne at Tullamore Court Hotel.
2. Sunday 2 September 01 Walk in Charleville Forest commencing at 3p.m. from Charleville gate.
3. Monday 3 September 8.30pm Lecture on Tullamore Distilling Tradition by Nigel Brennan at Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.
4. Wednesday 5 September 8.30p.m. Lecture on the Grand Canal in Offaly by Steve McNeill at Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.
5. Thursday 6th September 8.30p.m Lecture at Offaly Exhibition Research Centre Bury Quay Tullamore on an illustrated history of Tullamore from the 1700 to 1950.
6. Saturday 8th September 11a.m. Walking tour of Tullamore to commence at Research Centre Bury Quay and to finish at about 1p.m.

20th September 2001

Lecture at Offaly Exhibition Research Centre Tullamore by Mr. Paddy Hughes former Chief Executive of Bord na Mona. More details of this talk to follow.

The visit to Clonaslee Rosenallis and Protlaoise which was planned for 25 August had to be postponed and members will be advised of a new date shortly.

Membership and newsletter

We are keen to promote membership and if you would like to assist in getting new members into the Society would you please contact Steve McNeill, Maureen Kincaid or Michael Byrne at your earliest convenience. Please also refer people to our web sites at offalyhistory.com and irishmidlandsancestry.com.

We want to acknowledge assistance from Offaly Enterprise Board which will help us to further enhance both the www.irishmidlandsancestry.com web site and the www.offalyhistory.com web site. These improvements will be made with the help of OCS soon and will be welcome.

New Publications on Birr and Clonmacnois

A new book at circa £30 recording the lectures and events of the celebrations of Cain Adamnan at Birr in 1997 has just been published called Birr 697 and will be shortly be available from the OHAS and can currently be viewed in its library. We have now received copies of the new publication on Clonmacnois at £10 (€12.70).

Finally we are expecting shortly on a new book on the archaeology of Leamonaghan bog and should have it in the Library and for sale soon.

Donation from the United States

We wish to record our sincere thanks to Patricia Cusack who has donated a sum of 300 dollars as contribution to the Society in memory of Mary Macken wife of the singer Tommy Macken. The family were instrumental in establishing SICA - The Sea Coast Irish Cultural Association. Our sincere thanks for Mrs. Cusack for this donation.

Research work and project at OHAS Bury Quay in conjunction with FAS

Works has been completed on the listing of the graduates of Trinity College from Laois and Offaly for our Family History data base. We are currently transferring into an access data base all available tombstone records for Laois and Offaly to make them more useful and more easily searched.

Noel Guerin is currently working on a large data base for Family History which is already beginning to show results in that we have now about 800,000 records on it and we hope to add considerably to it soon to develop it into a 1.5 million record data base for Laois Offaly History.

The Kings County rate payers of 1890 has now been indexed. We are currently working on the Index of Laois Offaly entries for the 1659 census.

A rare list of voters in Tullamore Town in 1919 -1920 has now been indexed and is useful for local and family history.

The series of articles in the Offaly Independent on the Ordnance Survey letters (some 63 in all) has now been completely published and we hope to put the series on the internet in the archaeology section of offalyhistory.com shortly. It will need illustrations which we are also arranging to put up.

A new series of articles on the Midland Boroughs of Offaly and Laois in the 1830s has now commenced in the Offaly Independent.

In the Tullamore Tribune we have published extracts from happenings as reported in the Midland Tribune in 1901. We hope to put the happenings as reported from 1896 to 1901 on our internet site soon.

Pictures for sale

There are a substantial number of very attractive pictures for sale and that are currently in exhibition in our centre together with books for sale and please feel free to call during office hours to view the pictures. These pictures would make a lovely wedding gift or birthday gift and are well worth looking at.
They would also be suitable for offices and houses.

Programme in conjunction with Radio 3

Our thanks to Steve McNeill and Radio 3 for the work done on the Radio 3 show back in May. Steve McNeill together with Maureen Kincaid, Shap Mangan, Jim Kenny, John Kearney, Sandra Dunne, Sean Hackett, as well as representatives from Birr and Edenderry spoke for three hours about the work of the Society. In addition representatives from Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and The Grand Canal Committee spoke. The programme was well worth the effort and was valuable exposure for the Society and its work.

High Cross and Church at Durrow Abbey County Offaly

We have been advised by Duchas that the owners of Durrow Abbey, the O'Brien Family have agreed in principle to Duchas commencing work on the site subject to certain conditions. These conditions are currently being looked at by the Duchas Solicitors and we would hope that a favourable outcome will be reached so that the very necessary remedial works can start at Durrow soon. These works have nothing to do with the hotel proposal which we believe is still alive but is not yet the subject of a revised planning application.

Geashill old School House

The Society lent its support to a group at Geashill who are endeavouring to restore the old school house there.

Australian Genealogists to Visit Tullamore and Birr

On Monday the 17th of September the Society of Australian Genealogists will have a group visiting Birr and Tullamore on Monday morning. If you would like to meet this group you might please be in the centre not later than 12 midday.

History of Methodism in the Midlands

We have commenced discussions and would hope to work with the Reverend Dudley Cooney on the publication on the history of Methodism in the Midlands. If you would like to assist please contact us.

Ferbane Centre for Heritage and Arts

This is a fine new centre which would recommend members to visit. Again we are working with a group here in developing a profile on the history of Ferbane and District.

Further hardware for Family History

We are working with the Irish Family History Foundation and Andy Tierney of Office Automation Ltd. in connection with a proposed new genealogy software programme on hard wear provision for the Family History service. More details to follow.

Group for the study of Irish Historic Settlement

The conference of this group will be held at Lanesborough focused on Lough Ree and environs from the 14th to the 16th of September 2001 further details are available at the Society and booking is limited to 40.

Leamonaghan Monastic Site

We have assisted with documentation in connection with the preparation of a report on Leamonaghan Monastic site.

Depart from OHAS Bury Quay at 1p.m. to arrive at Main Street in Shinrone at 2p.m. for a guided tour by Noel McMahon. Noel McMahon has worked on the history of Shinrone and District for many years and has lately published an attractive history of the town and district which is available from the Society and from Noel directly. This is an area in the Barony of Clonlisk and which has more association with Tipperary then with Offaly. It is a part of the County which was in the Ely O'Carroll territory and was annexed to the existing County Offaly in about 1605. The village was well known in the nineteenth century as having strong orange lodge associations. It should be an interesting tour and will include the glass works now the subject of excavations and also the subject of recent articles in the local press and in Archaeology Ireland. Please bring a picnic tea if you wish. Cars will depart from OHAS and you might indicate if you will be coming by giving a phone call to the Centre at 21421 and letting us know if you are bringing a car or will be seeking to come as a passenger.

Recent visit to the RSAI at 63 Merrion Square, the Irish Architectural Archive at 73 Merrion Square and the Chester Beatty Library were very successful. We had a good tour of the RSAI Library and Irish Architectural Archive and it was interesting to see how both of these national organisations work. We had a look at their filing systems, computer systems and storage systems apart from viewing the general collections. The experience was well worth while and our sincere thanks to RSAI and in particular the President Con Manning and the Treasurer Charles Smith. In the Irish Architectural Archive we handed over a set of the Magan Photographs for the use of the Architectural Archive and we were presented with a number of books in return. At the Irish Architectural Archive we met the curator David Griffin and colleague archivist Mr. Colm O'Riordain. Again this was very beneficial to us in that the Society has about 30,000 photographs now and what we learned on filing systems etc was useful.

Laois and Offaly Cemeteries Report

Strong progress is being made here by Maureen Kincaid with help from contacts in Laois and Offaly. We wish to thank sincerely all who have provided Maureen with valuable information, especially in Laois, on work which has been done already, some having been published and not known to us.

Offaly Voters Lists

We are currently trying to track down Offaly Voters Lists and as some of you may know these lists are not that common before 1930 and more or less full set of the voters list is available at the Offaly County Library. The Society has a scattering of these voters lists from the 1820s up to the present day and we have lately indexed a list of 1890 published in the King's County Directory another list for Tullamore Town of about 1,500 voters of 1919 -1920. Both of these lists are now going into our Family History Data Base for use in family history research.

Noel Guerin our hardworking committee member is working on putting together a master data base of all of our particular MS Access program based files so as to build up at data base of miscellaneous sources for family history. We have also a computer expert retained to improve on the existing Digital Microvax system with a view to transferring it over to CD and to network it with the existing PC systems.

Our target would be to have circa 1.5 million records on one data base ultimately. At present we would have this amount of records, or more, on three systems. The whole work is being done to speed up the process of dealing with family history queries to try and make this work more user friendly. We have lately added three more computers to the existing profile of systems and we are making big efforts to tidy up the existing data bases in family history and in local history with a view to making the whole service more efficient.

Library Catalogue

The Library Catalogue is now in excess of five thousand volumes and we are adding books to the library at the rate of about fifty per month. We hope shortly to purchase the Offaly Independent on microfilm from about 1894 to 1911 and from 1922 up to 1970. This will be expensive but we hope to have your support and that of the National Library and the Offaly County Library in connection with microfilming the original copies, likewise the Midland Tribune from 1953 to 1976.

Internet History and Irish Midlands Ancestry

Our new second site for Irish Midlands Ancestry is now up on the internet and we would welcome your comments on this offering. The site is intended to promote family history in Laois and Offaly and in particular the work of the centre in regard to commissioned reports. Your views on the site together with your views on offalyhistory.com would be appreciated as we are trying to improve these sites all the time. Our thanks to John Kearney and Sandra Dunne in connection with work done on the www.irishmidlandsancestry.com site. In particular a warm thanks to Sandra who has done considerable work on it.

In relation to www.offalyhistory.com improvements are being made by Sean Hackett all the time and he has now loaded an Offaly Tourist Guide which we prepared in 1999. We think this is the best current guide available to Offaly and again would appreciate your comments.

Future activities

14th July visit by Laois Heritage Society to Tullamore and District to commence at our Research Centre at 10.30a.m.

Tour of Laois District

With particular reference to Rosenallis Clonaslee and Portlaoise to depart from the Centre at about 9.30 a.m. on Saturday the 25th of August.

Heritage week 2nd to 9th September 2001

This will include lectures as follows:-

Open week at the Centre for locals and visitors alike during office hours to include Sunday the 2nd from 2p.m. to 5p.m. and Saturday the 8th from 10 to 5p.m.

2nd September 2001 Walk in Charleville Demesne to start at 3p.m. at Charleville Gate for a historic walk about the estate courtesy of the Hutton Bury Family.

3rd September 8.30p.m. Illustrated talk on Tullamore Distilling Tradition with particular reference to the Tullamore Distillery and the Williams Group.

5th September 8.30p.m lecture on the Grand Canal in County Offaly.

6th September illustrated talk on Tullamore history from 1700 to 1950 using photographs of the streets and town and taking each street and in turn.

8th September walking tour of Tullamore at 9a.m. to finish at 11a.m. starting at the Research Centre Bury Quay.

20th Sept. Lecture on Bord na Mona in Offaly by Mr Paddy Hughes

Oct. (date to be fixed) John Feehan on Eskers

In November one of our USA based members, James P Cullen will give a talk on his life reminiscences in Ireland and the US.

9th Dec. Annual Lunch in Bridge House, Tullamore. After lunch speaker will be Niall Sweeney, Offaly County Manager.

2001 Membership renewal

Is your subscription due for 2001? There isn't a label on an envelope to remind those receiving the Newsletter be email if their 2001 membership fee is still due. They will know themselves or can enquire by phoning (0506) 21421 or email info@offalyhistory.com

FAS Project in progress

Numerous projects are ongoing. The maintenance staff are continually keeping the building in fine trim - painting and outdoor tidying plus their daily "housekeeping" duties, security, day to day maintenance, etc.

Computerised work includes Voters Lists, Newspaper Articles, Offaly Chronology, Internet Site Development, Coote's Survey typescript, Ordnance Survey Field Books, Library Catalogue, Trinity College Graduates database, Moran Manuscripts database, Access database of Graveyard Inscriptions, updating of Membership and other lists. Reports on Family History enquiries are ongoing.

In conjunction with these tasks staff are participating in training courses on an ongoing basis to upgrade their skills for the work at the Centre and their own personal development.

Books for Sale

Byrne, Michael Tullamore Catholic Parish 187p. HB £20.00 (€25) SB £9.99 (€12.50)
Byrne, Michael The People of Tullamore in the Twentieth Century HB £15.99 (€20.50)
Byrne, Michael (ed) Durrow in History 299p. SB £9.99 (€12.50), HB £20 (€25)
Byrne, Michael Towards a history of Kilclonfert 141p. SB £4.99 (€6.30)
Egan, Oliver Tyrellspass Past and Present 210p. SB £15 (€19)
Ferbane Parish and its Churches 158p. HB £10.00 (€12.70)
FitzPatrick, Elizabeth, Heaney, Paddy and Rosse, Alison The Wet Hillside of Saint Lugna 39p. £2.95 (€3.75)
Heaney, Paddy At the foot of Slieve Bloom HB 369p. £12 (€15.20)
Joyce, J. St. George The King's County, Epitome of its History, Topography &C. Reprinted 1998 79p. SB £4.95 (€6.30)
Kearney, John The Long Ridge [Killeigh parish] 174p. SB £7.99 (€10.20)
Kehnel, Annette Clonmacnoise - the Church and Lands of St. Ciaran 347p. SB £20.00 (€25)
Kilcormac Historical Society Kilcormac - Killoughey Parish Album 190 pp SB £10 (€12.70)
Killoughey Jubilee 2000 Committee Killoughey - A Pilgrimage to our past 288 pp HB £13.99 (€16.50)
King, Heather A (ed.) Clonmacnoise Studies Volume 1 144 pp PB £12 (€15.20)
Laois History & Society 748 pp £40 (€50.50)
Lewis, Samuel A-Z of Offaly in 1837, c. 160 p. PB £7.99 (€10.15)
Liostai Logainmneagha. Uibh Fhaili [Offaly place-names] 76p. SB £4.00 (€5)
McCormack, Stan Kilbeggan 2000 Millenium Book of Photographs SB £12.50 (€15.80)
Moore, Desmond Love's Old Sweet Song. [Account of James Lynam Molloy] 44p. SB £3.99 (€5)
Moore, Patrick The Astronomy of Birr Castle 81 pp £7.75 (€9.85)
Murray, Tom The Young Haymakers: A Midland Boyhood SB £6.99 (€8.85)
O'Brien, Caimin & Sweetman, P. David Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly 232p. HB £22.00 (€27.95)
O'Brien Caimin & FitzPatrick Elizabeth Offaly Medieval Churches 186p. HB £18 (€22.85)
Office of Public Works, Clonmacnoise 48p SB £2.50 (€3.20)
O.H.A.S. Farming in Offaly Down the Years 38p SB £3.00 (€3.80)
O'Neill & Nolan Offaly History & Society. c. 1100 pp. HB £45.00 (€57.15)
O'Sullivan, Dr. Muiris The Illustrated Guide to Seir Kieran 36p. SB £5.00 (€6.35)
Rolt, L.T.C. Green and Silver [Grand Canal] 275p. HB £16 (€20.30)
Rosse Six Foot Telescope 41 pp £4.50 (€5.70)
Shaw, Rev. Andrew The History of Ballyboy, Kilcormac and Killoughy SB £7 (€8.85) [Reprint]
Sheil, Helen Falling into wretchedness: Ferbane in the 1830s c. 60 p. SB £5.99 (€7.60)
Through the Locks (Grand Canal and Edenderry interest mainly) 189 pp £8 (€10.15)
Trodd, Valentine Midlanders [Banagher] 226p. £9.95 (€12.60)
Walsh, Sr. Dolores Grow where you are planted A History of Tullamore Mercy Sisters 229p. SB £9.95 (€12.60)
Wrafter, Sr. Oliver Rahan looks back. 144p. SB £10.00 €12.70)
Wright, John Offaly One Hundred Years Ago (reprint of King's County Directory of 1890) 344p. HB £25.00 (€31.75)

1. January 2001 Newsletter
2. February 2001 Newsletter
3. March 2001 Newsletter
4. April 2001 Newsletter
5. May 2001 Newsletter
6. June 2001 Newsletter
   
7. July 2001 Newsletter
8. August 2001 Newsletter
9. September 2001 Newsletter
10. October 2001 Newsletter
11. November 2001 Newsletter
12. December 2001 Newsletter