The cost of the lunch is €22.00 for adults and €12 for children. The speaker after lunch is Dr. Peter Harbison MRIA who is a very distinguished speaker and has published widely over the past twenty years. Please note the slight change to his lecture which is "Antiquarian Drawings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries". This will include County Offaly but not be confined to Offaly.

January 2004
Dr. Harbison will be speaking to us again on the Boyne Valley arising from his recent publication on the 22nd January 2004 at 8.15p.m. This Lecture will be sponsored by the Boyne Valley Honey Company and there will probably be a jar of that product in the audience for all those who attend - no guarantees.

The Journal
We expect the Journal to be launched on the 7th of December. Copies are very strictly limited this year and if you want a copy please arrange to let us have €15 asap. We are making a special offer of €25.00 for the 2003 Journal and €15 for the new 2004 Journal for those who have not already purchased the first issue. The Journal is about 200 pages and represents good value for money as the net cost is of the order of €20 per Journal and we are selling it for €15 to members.

FÁS CE scheme recommences
We are glad to report that the CE scheme with 14 participants recommenced recently. All concerned are very happy to be back. Work on computerising family history records, photographs and local history material continues at the Centre.

Christmas Draw
If you have not already returned your Christmas Draw tickets would you please do so as the draw is at 12 noon on the 19th of December. Thanks to all who have subscribed to date and to those who have contributed prizes.

Annual Christmas Lunch
The annual Christmas Lunch will be held on Sunday the 7th of December at Bridge House Hotel at 1 p.m. The prices are as follows:- Adults e22 Children e12

A choice of fish or meat will be available as in previous years.

After the lunch we will be addressed by Dr. Peter Harbison on Representations of Clonmacnois in eighteenth and nineteenth century drawings. Dr. Harbison is a gifted speaker and has spoken at the Society on High Crosses some years ago. He is the author of numerous books. His most recent being Treasures of the Boyne Valley. This will be a very enjoyable lecture and early booking is advisable as numbers are limited. Booking should be through the Society’s offices at Bury Quay 21421 during office hours.

Reminiscences and Family History
The History Channel are currently running a project on www.familyhistoryproject.co.uk which will be of interest to some our members. To have a local flavour why not consider sharing with us the great stories from your families past and what you recall of the local history of your area - stories of emigration, interesting professions and personal achievements. For the year 2004 we will run a competition for the best entry about your County Offaly memories, your family memories and that reflecting on the history of the community in Offaly and your own place. We will in the next newsletter document memoirs we have received to date and we will publishing that for Nuala Holland (nee Mahon) formerly of Charleville Road, Tullamore shortly in the local newspapers.

The Annual Christmas Lunch

This will be held on Sunday the 7th of December at 1p.m. The prices are e22 for adults and e12 for your children. The selection will be fish or meat same as last year and will be held at Bridge

Our after dinner speaker is Dr. Peter Harbison who will speak on the subject of Representations of Clonmacnoise in drawings and maps of the seventeenth , eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The talk will of course be illustrated and will be free to those who are coming to the annual Christmas lunch. Booking is available through the Society at 21421. Please leave your name and telephone number and the amount for the dinner if you are not a member.

New Publication on Eglish by Brian Pey and Others
A very fine book on the Barony of Eglish being the Parishes of Drumcullen and Eglish has been published by the Fircall Heritage Group and retails at e25 and is available from the centre. This book is in excess of 300 pages is a detailed history of the barony with general commentary and details of land ownership for each townland. It is most useful work and you are urged to support it.

Offaly Heritage Seminar 29th November 2003
The Offaly County Council Heritage Officer has organised an Offaly Heritage Seminar to be held at the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre Bury Quay Tullamore on Saturday the 29th of November 2003 commencing at 9.30 am. Last year’s Seminar was extremely useful and enjoyed by all those who attended. The aim of this year’s seminar is to:

1. Report back on progress delivering the Offaly Heritage Plan 2002-2006
2. To provide an opportunity for people interested in heritage to meet.

To book contact the Heritage Officer, Offaly County Council, Aras an Chondae, Charleville Road, Tullamore. Phone 0506 46800.

January 2004 Lecture
The Boyne Valley Honey Company have very kindly agreed to sponsor the lecture on the Boyne Valley which is to be given by Dr. Peter Harbison at OHAS Bury Quay Tullamore on 22nd January 2004 at 8.15p.m. Dr. Harbison is a very distinguished lecturer and those who may not have the opportunity to hear him at the annual dinner talking about Clonmacnois will have an opportunity in early January. Further publicity will be available about this talk as it will probably include a promotion for Boyne Valley Honey by way “free honey for everybody in audience”.

Irishmen who died in the Great War 1914-1918
The Society library has now acquired a copy of the eight volumes listing some forty-nine thousand people from Ireland who died in the Great War. Other additions have also been made to the library which will be advised in a further newsletter.

Good news on Durrow
At a long last a formal announcement has issued as to the completion of negotiations for the purchase of the Durrow Abbey Site, the house and some eighty acres. Congratulations to Minister Cowen and Minister Tom Parlon on behalf of Durrow and the people of Laois Offaly. This is a major boost for the heritage of the midlands and indeed the whole of Ireland.

There is no reason why Durrow High Cross and Abbey House should not be a major visitor site second only to Clonmacnois in the Midland Region.

The Society hopes to have an evening to celebrate the successful outcome of this ongoing saga possibly in the new year.

FAS CE Scheme
A new FAS Community Employment Scheme commences at the centre on the 24th of November and we are looking forward to working with FAS and all those participating with a view to providing valuable training in technology as in the past and securing the completion of more historical work to improve our website, our family history resources and our local history collection.

The 2004 Journal
The 2004 Journal is now with printers and to secure your copy please let us have e15 as soon as possible. It is intended that it be launch on the 7th of December at the Christmas lunch.

Bog Enigmas
The current issue of Archaeology Ireland which is in the library of Society (Autumn 2003) carries a short article on the recent excavations at Cloncreen Co. Offaly by Eoin Corcoran and is based on the Bord Na Mona funded excavation. We have also received Bennett, Archaeological Excavations 2001, which has several pages listing Offaly reports.

Ernest Shackleton Autumn School
Please note that we have received information on this Autumn School which will held at Athy over the period 23 to 27th October 2003. If you are interest in attending you can call Athy Heritage Centre at 059/863075 or email athyheritage@eircom.net .

Huguenot Military Offices in Ireland
This is the subject of a seminar being held in Dublin on the 18th and 19th of October 2003. It includes an outing to Portarlington on Sunday the 19th of October 2003. Details are available from Vivienne Costello 01/ 6099424.

The Roscrea Autumn Conference 31st October to 2nd November 2003
The Roscrea Autumn Conference is given over to farming in Ireland which is the subject of a new book by John Feehan for which a pre publication offer has already been announced in the earlier newsletters. Pre publication orders can be made to George Cunningham Parkmore, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Details are available from Mount St. Joseph 0505/21711.

The Church at Pollagh
This is the subject of a two page article in the recent issue of Inland Waterways news volume 30 number 3 Autumn 2003 by Dr. Maeve O'Regan which includes attractive colour photographs. A copy of the article is available in the Society's library.

Ursula's Story of her Hiberno - German Ancestry
An article on the above which appeared in the Irish Times on Tuesday the 9th of January 2001 is re-produced in the current of the Irish Sword ,Volume 22 ,Winter 2001 number 90, pp 456 - 57. It concerns Ann Mills, a farmer's daughter born in Tullamore in 1778 and who married a Hanoverian soldier in Ireland and based at Tullamore, Wilhelm Muller. He came to Ireland in 1806 and the marriage took place in Middleton Co. Cork on the 16th of November 1806. We hope to publish a follow up to this in the next newsletter. The author, Richard Roche ,wondered did anybody remember Ann Mills who was a native of Tullamore.

November Lecture
Details to be announced shortly.

December
Christmas Dinner, Venue Bridge House Hotel at 1p.m. on Sunday 7th December, after dinner speaker will be Dr. Peter Harbison who will lecture on images of Clonmacnoise on architectural drawings and so forth in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Further details in later newsletters.

Administrative
We are currently re-organising our data on our computer systems with a view to having a P.C. available with the Library catalogue and the local history data base for members when they call on Thursday evenings or by appointment. The library is open from 7.30p.m. to 10.30p.m. and about 5,600 entries have now been made in the catalogue. Thanks to Peter Burke who has continued to up date the entries.

Noel Guerin is working on the transfer as is our manager John Kearney and we are hoping to have it completed by the time of the commencement of the new FAS Scheme in mid November.

There are a substantial number of articles available for proof reading including the following:-

1. The book of survey and distribution of 1660s for Offaly
2. Extract from Hayes Manuscript Sources for Offaly
3. The Civil Survey of the 1650s
4. Numerous archaeological articles
5. The Craig Diaries of the 1870s to the 1880s.

Thanks to all who come in on Thursday night to help with the proof reading. Once the articles are proof read they will be put into the Society data base and where suitable on the internet site. We are currently re-vamping the site to make it more attractive and to put on it an index so as to help to find articles more easily.

The Journal 2004
This is now almost ready to go to the printers and we expect to have it available in late November for purchase at e15 per copy. Please be sure to get your copy in due course.

Heritage Week takes place from the 7th to 14th of September and we have an attractive programme laid on, starting as follows:-

Sunday 7h September

A fourteen mile walk from the Height of Ireland to Cadamstown at 10.a.m.
A walk to Kilbride Church, Ballycowan Castle and Lynally and Charleville (three hours approx) at 2.p.m. from OHAS Bury Quay Tullamore
Recording and mapping of graves at St. Mary's Church Yard Geashill to be explained at 2p.m.
Guided tour of medicinal herbs at Birr Castle at 3p.m

Monday 8th September at 8p.m.
The McRegol Gospel Book, Birr, Dooly's Hotel, Margaret Hogan

Tuesday 9th September at 8.30pm.
Lecture: The Story of Ballycumber and District by James Kenny
Water as Heritage Talk at Crank House Banagher at 7.30p.m - 9p.m.

Thursday 11th September at 8.00p.m.
A talk on the industries of Tullamore in the 19th century. Michael Byrne and Noel Guerin.
Bat ecology tour from outside Post Office Emmet Square Birr at approx 8.45p.m. - 9.00p.m. - Dusk

Saturday 13th September 11a.m.
Guided walk through Tullamore, Start OHAS Bury Quay Tullamore

Sunday 14th September
Free admission to the Heritage Centre on the 14th of September all day.

Bury Family History Exhibition is now open at the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.

New Offaly Books
"The Shinrone Photographic Record" by Noel MacMahon was launched in late July. Upwards of fifteen of our members attended and the book is now available in hardback (€35.00) and softback (€25.00) from OHAS at Bury Quay. It is probably one of the finest of the photographic records to be produced in County Offaly and is in similar format to earlier publications by the Society on Rahan, Tullamore, Killeigh and Clara. Congratulations to Noel MacMahon on an excellent production.

Another new publication is that on the History of Offaly County Council which was launched on the 21st of July at 6 p.m. and is available at €20.00 from the County Library. The name of the book is "Grand Jury Rooms to Aras on Chontate: Local Government in Offaly" and is an attractive and useful publication which will be of great benefit to Local Government studies.

Shannon Fortifications
Mr. Paul Kerrigan, now living in England, is coming to Dooly's Hotel, Birr on Tuesday the 9th of September at 8 p.m. to give a lecture on the Shannon fortifications to the Birr branch of the Irish Georgian Society. All are welcome to attend and he has extended a special invitation to society members.

Lusmagh Video
An attractive video on Lusmagh and the History of Lusmagh has been produced recently and copies are available from the Society at e20.00.

Outreach Programme for Historical Research
If you would be interested in helping with the correction of articles on Offaly history for our website or you would like to add to our material on local studies, including family history, why not do the following:

1. Place new articles on our website.
2. Volunteer for scanning projects.
3. Type material of local history interest and send it to us by e-mail or disc for inclusion in our database or on our website.
   To see what can be done why not have a look at our website www. offalyhistory.com or indeed other sites such as that known as www. dungarvanmuseum.org.

Visit of the Society of Australian Genealogists
This will take place on Sunday morning, 21st September with a party to arrive at Birr for a walk around Birr and subsequently to visit Tullamore, including a talk on the history of the centre and Tullamore town. Lunch will be in Tullamore where the party will be staying that evening. We hope a number of members will be able to meet with the visitors. The tour leaders are Perry McIntyre and Richard Reid.

18th September 2003
Dr. Terry Dooley on The decline and fall of the Country House in Ireland with particular reference to the Midlands. At Research Centre at 8.30 pm

16th October 2003
Rory Masterson - Title to be confirmed

7th December 2003
Christmas Lunch at Bridge House Tullamore. Guest Speaker Peter Harbison on Clonmacnois: An illustrated Life.

Tullamore Town Walks
Part 1 - The southern side of the town from O'Connor Square to the Courthouse will be held on Saturday 23rd of August at 1 p.m. meeting at OHAS/Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. Tour guide - Michael Byrne.

Part 2 - The northern side of the town from the Heritage Centre to O'Connor Square will be held on Sunday 24th August at 2 p.m. Tour guide - Steve McNeill.

Dublin Tour - 23rd August
This has been cancelled until further notice and will be held probably in late September on a date to be advised.

Bury Family History Exhibition
This exhibition will open on Friday evening the 22nd of August and will be opened by Marian Keaney, former librarian of Longford/Westmeath County Library who has published books on Charles Howard Bury. Official opening at Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre at 6 p.m.

Heritage Week 7th -14th September
We have an attractive programme lined up and we will write to members especially about this, it will include walks and talks during that week. The Heritage Week programme material will be advertised in the local papers and the programme will also be available from the Centre.

The Irish Country House: Its Past, Present and Future
This is the subject of a conference to be held at N.U.I. Maynooth on 13th September, 2003. Speakers include Toby Barnard, Dr. Patrick Kelly and Dr. Terence Dooley. The conference commences at 8.45 a.m. and will finish around 4.30 p.m. If you are interested in attending perhaps you would contact Michael Byrne or Steve McNeill as we may be able to organise three or four people to go. Further details can be had from Dr. Terence Dooley at 01-7086152 or Terence.A.Dooley@may.ie The conference fee is e35.00 including conference dinner (optional).

Birr Vintage Week
This is being held from 15th to 21st August and has an attractive programme.

County Offaly Industrial Archaeological Documentation
Dr. Fred Hamond is continuing with his excellent work on this project and we hope to receive a final draft of the production in the Autumn.

New Offaly Books
"The Shinrone Photographic Record" by Noel McMahon was launched in late July. Upwards of fifteen of our members attended and the book is now available in hardback (e35.00) and softback (e25.00) from OHAS at Bury Quay. It is probably one of the finest of the photographic records to be produced in County Offaly and is in similar format to earlier publications by the Society on Rahan, Tullamore, Killeigh and Clara. Congratulations to Noel McMahon on an excellent production.

Another new publication is that on the History of Offaly County Council which was launched on the 21st of July at 6 p.m. and is available at e20.00 from the County Library. The name of the book is "Grand Jury Rooms to Aras on Chontate: Local Government in Offaly" and is an attractive and useful publication which will be of great benefit to Local Government studies.

Shannon Fortifications
Mr. Paul Kerrigan, now living in England, is coming to Dooley's Hotel, Birr on Tuesday the 9th of September at 8 p.m. to give a lecture on the Shannon fortifications to the Birr branch of the Irish Georgian Society. All are welcome to attend and he has extended a special invitation to society members.

Mystery Man found at Croghan
The remains found at Croghan back in May have now been transferred to the National Museum and a report is awaited in due course.

Edward Egan's Poems
A copy of "King's County Couplets" has been received by the Society. It was published by Edward Egan of The Meelaghans, Tullamore in 1892 and includes a number of local poems and advertisements. We hope to re-print this book on some occasion and in the meantime to add it to our local poems and songs collection.

Lusmagh Video
An attractive video on Lusmagh and the History of Lusmagh has been produced recently and copies are available from the Society at e20.00.

Purchase of New Technology for the Centre
With the help of an Offaly Leader II grant we are in the process at the moment of acquiring the following:

1. A high powered computer to hold all our data and with the assistance of Noel Guerin should be in operation in two to three weeks.
2. Ancillary to this we are acquiring a computer projector to enable us to visit schools and give classes and lectures on local studies using illustrated material from CDs which will also connect into material available from our website.
3. As some readers will know we do not currently have a microfilm reader printer that operates well and a new machine is about to be acquired at a cost of about e17,000 which will enable us to transfer microfilm to digital. This will mean that we should be able to print off pages of old newspapers and so forth to a computer printer or store them on the computer or CD. A demonstration will be given at a future meeting of the Society.

Outreach Programme for Historical Research
If you would be interested in helping with the correction of articles on Offaly history for our website or you would like to add to our material on local studies, including family history, why not do the following:

1. Place new articles on our website.
2. Volunteer for scanning projects.
3. Type material of local history interest and send it to us by e-mail or disc for inclusion in our database or on our website.

To see what can be done why not have a look at our website www. offalyhistory.com or indeed other sites such as that known as www.dungarvanmuseum.org.

Visit of the Society of Australian Genealogists
This will take place on Sunday morning, 21st September with a party to arrive at Birr for a walk around Birr and subsequently to visit Tullamore, including a talk on the history of the centre and Tullamore town. Lunch will be in Tullamore where the party will be staying that evening. We hope a number of members will be able to meet with the visitors. The tour leaders are Perry McIntyre and Richard Reid.

"Farming in Ireland: History, Heritage and Environment"
This is the title of a substantial new book by John Feehan which is to be published in the Autumn at a pre-publication price of e50.00 and thereafter e90.00. If you would like to order a copy please send your order direct to George Cunnigham at Parkmore, Roscrea or to the Society.

A Walking tour of Portlaoise Town commencing from the square in Portlaoise at 2.30p.m. or from OHAS Bury Quay at 1.45p.m. on Sunday the 27th of July. If you are interested in travelling on a bus to Portlaoise please let us know one week beforehand together with your phone number. The cost of the bus will be about e6 per head. The tour is intended to visit Portlaoise town at 2.30p.m. and Dunamase at 4p.m. If time allows we hope to visit Emo Gardens (but not the house) for a picnic tea. If you have any queries please contact John Kearney, Margaret White or Steve McNeill at 21421.

Our thanks to Teddie Fennelly of Laois Heritage Society for assisting with organising the tour.

Laois Heritage Journal
The Laois Heritage Society has produced an attractive first journal which is available at the centre for e10.

Membership renewal
Many thanks to those who have renewed their 2003 membership to date. There is still a small number outstanding.

Heritage Books for sale 2003
Enclosed with this newsletter is our list of publications for sale at the centre together with prices. If you are interested please call or email us.

Paul Walsh Essays
The Paul Walsh Essays lately published with a new introduction and edition by Nollaig O Muraile is now available from the centre at a special price of e50. The retail selling price is e95. The book consists of about 600 pages and is a must for people interested in the early history of the Midlands. Paul Walsh's essays have long been out of print and very difficult to buy and expensive.

Dublin outing 23 August
Our visit to Dublin centres including the Council Chamber in Dublin City Hall Museum and Print Museum in Beggers Bush will leave for Dublin at 8.45a.m. on Saturday the 23rd of August. We also intend to take in the new Pearse Street local history library collection for Dublin. If you are interested in attending the cost will be about e15 euros per head for a bus together with admission charges. Please book your seat early to avoid disappointment.

Tullamore Jail Exhibition
About 40 to 50 people attended the recent launching of the exhibition which runs until mid August at Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. Why not go along and see it before it is taken down. An attractive poster is also available at €3.

Journal 2004
If you are still finishing your article please hurry and let Dr. Rory Masterson of Screggan Tullamore have it shortly.

Lusmagh Video Tape
This film entitled "Lusmagh Landscape, history, people, 3303 AM - 2003 AD is available at the Centre priced €20.

Shinrone in old photographs
Shinrone in old photographs is to be launched on the 26th of July at 8.30 pm in Shinrone Community Centre . You are welcome to attend. The Society was happy to help in the publication and copies of it will be available at the centre. It is an attractive publication in the same format as the Killeigh, Rahan, Clara, and Tullamore Town albums and will be a great addition to the series of photographs for Offaly. The entire work has been undertaken by Noel MacMahon and copies will be available at the centre in soft back and hard back.

Industrial and Archaeological Survey of Offaly
Mr. Fred Hammond is currently undertaking a survey of the industrial archaeological sites in County Offaly and is making great progress. This survey has been undertaken on behalf of the Heritage Office, Offaly County Council.

FAS training programme
Our thanks to all on the last FAS Scheme and to FAS Management and staff for their assistance over the years with our training schemes. The present scheme finished at the end of May and we are not expecting any renewal until November. In the meantime volunteers are needed at the centre and if you would contact Steve McNeill he will be to arrange a programme of work and a time for you. We can't pay you but we can give free coffee and lots of satisfaction.

Offaly History.com
Don't forget to consult our website and refer people to it who are looking for material on Offaly local history. Likewise if you are interested in Family History, why not look at our website irishmidlandsancestry.com.

On then to Daingean and out to Killaderry graveyard to arrive circa 2.30 pm. This is the site of the medieval parish church and the burial place of Fr Andrew Mullen much resorted to for cures. Return to Daingean to the old reformatory, the site of Gallows Hill, the Grand Canal and see the gaol foundation stone of 1826. The library is the next stop to see one of the armorial stones which were saved when the fort was demolished in 1927.

To the other end of the town then to take in the old courthouse, the church and churchyard including the burial place of Lewis Carroll's grandfather. From here we can cover the old Methodist meeting house, the RC church and the old fort to which the town owes its origin and a mention of the schools.
Please note that non members are also very welcome along.

Visit to Portlaoise area on Sunday July 27th under the auspices of the Laois Heritage Society.
Offaly Heritage Forum has set in progress an industrial archaeology survey in the county being undertaken by Fred Hammond. To date he has identified 763 industrial sites of which 149 were mills. When the survey is completed and the report submitted it will be the standard for further research in this area. The Society has provided access to its library to Mr Hammond.

Tullamore Jail Exhibition
Will be officially launched on Thursday, June 19th @ 8.30 pm. The old jail building will be looked at in all its guises that its history has covered, ie jail, Salts Spinning mill and currently business park. The invitation to attend this launch is open to all who had any connection with the building over the years particularly the Salts years. The occasion will also give the local visitor an opportunity to view the other exhibitions on Tullamore town, distilling industry and Grand Canal and see how the three are connected.

Killaly Plaque
At this launch a plaque to commemorate John Killaly, surveyor and canal engineer, will be unveiled. In addition to his work on the Tullamore to Shannon Harbour stretch of the Canal he was also involved in the building of the jail, opened in 1830. The cost of the plaque is being borne jointly by Tullamore Dew Heritage and the Historical Society.

Membership renewal
Thanks to your response nearly all memberships for 2003 have been paid up with just a small amount still due. If 2002 appears on your address label, then your sub is still due. Please pay as soon as possible.

The Late Liam Cox
The Society extends its sincere sympathy to the family and friends of the late Liam Cox of Moate who passed away recently. Having lived to a great age, he was a member of the Society for many years. He was a keen student of local and family history and published a number of books and regularly contributed articles to local journals. He had a deep interest in his native Moate and his passing will be much regretted.

Saturday 21st June
1.30p.m. from OHAS Centre and at 2p.m. from Daingean to visit Daingan and District under the care of John Kearney. Further details in June Newsletter.

July 27th
To visit the Portlaoise area under the auspices of the old Laois Heritage Society.

Saturday 23rd August
To visit new centres in Dublin including the Council Chamber in Dublin City Hall Museum and the print museum in Beggers Bush. A bus will leave from the centre at about 8.45p.m. for Dublin.

History of Meath and Westmeath
Paul Walsh's Irish leaders and learning through the ages - 640 pp (inc. maps) of essays collected edited and introduced by Nollaig Ó Muraile. Avail of the special pre-publication price of €50. Retail price €95. Orders must be with the editor by 16th May. Can be left c/o the Research Centre.

Tullamore Gaol Exhibition
Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and in particular Alison Dillon has organised an exhibition on Tullamore Gaol to run until mid August.

An attractive poster has also been produced which is available for purchase at the exhibition and at the OHAS Centre. You are strongly recommended to visit and in doing so support the development of awareness of Tullamore History and Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.

The Journal 2004
Please note our 30th of June closing date for articles and if you would like to contribute please get in touch with Mr. Rory Masterson at Screggan Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

Shinrone photographic publication
Our sincere sympathy to Noel MacMahon on the death of his son in London. At the time of writing we note that his publication on Shinrone is ready but the launch was deferred.

Know your Tullamore
Congratulations to Junior Chamber Tullamore on their publication of the new 2003 edition of Know Your Tullamore which is an extremely useful publication and which will in time become of great historical value.

Offaly Heritage Forum
Mr. Steve McNeill our chairman, continues to represent historical interests on Offaly Heritage Forum. The Heritage Forum is doing important work including the following:-

1. Audit of 19 monastic sites in Offaly conducted by Camin O'Brien which emphasises the need for regular low maintenance work rather than a blitz approach every decade.
2. Thatched houses. The interesting lecture we had on thatched houses in
   Offaly is to be the subject of a book which is to published perhaps in 2003 under the authorship of Barry O'Reilly. The Society will be supporting this publication financially.
3. Industrial archaeology sites audit, we understand that it is agreed that a paper Audit of industrial archaeology will be carried out together with a physical survey of the Offaly Mills (up to 150).

Graveyards
We understand that mapping of the several graveyards is continuing and these include six, mainly Daingean, Lynally, Leamonaghan, Seir Kieran, Eglish and Geashill. It is hoped that Local Groups will read the tombstones in the graveyard and record all the details in accordance with a standard format.

History Awareness Programme
Eash primary school in Offaly has been given a monument of Offaly Poster.

FAS Training Programme
Our chairman Steve McNeill has now visited 22 schools to give talks on Local History.

Our current scheme with FAS finishes on the 27th of May and the Society wants to express sincere thanks to all who worked on the project over the past year from our manager John Kearney to all who participated.

Family History Queries
We continue to get a steady stream of enquiries about Offaly ancestors and these are ably dealt with by Margaret White with Anne Horan and Helen Flanagan. Margaret is getting married on the 22nd May to Liam Mulligan and we want to express our congratulations to her and thank her for her assistance over the past number of years with the family history queries.

Offaly 100 years ago
This series continues in the Tullamore Tribune each week contributed by the Society.

Offaly Place names articles
This series continues in the Offaly Independent each week contributed by the Society.

Tullabeg College
Articles on Tullabeg College have appeared in the Tribune over the past few weeks and it is hoped to have the completed text produced in the Journal for 2004.

Website offalyhistory.com
Our publication in the last newsletter of the details of articles of local interest on the website has caused a stir and we hope that it will mean that more people will now access the site as a starting point for local history.

Inland Waterways Association of Ireland
The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland lately held its annual general meeting at the Society's centre in Tullamore and we were glad to be able to facilitate them and to organise a visit to Charleville Demesne and Castle on the Saturday morning following.

Heather Thomas RIP
Our sincere sympathy to the family of the late Heather Thomas RIP who has been for sometime a member of the Society and was a great supporter of all things on the heritage front in Co. Offaly. Herself and her late husband were instrumental in establishing Celtic Canal Cruisers in the early 1970s.

2004 Celebrations - Rail and Water
Next year will see the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the linking of the Grand Canal to the Shannon with the opening of Shannon Harbour and further details of this anon.

It will also see the 150th anniversary of the connection of the Dublin to Tullamore rail link at Clonminch on the Great Southern and Western Line. You may be aware that a recently published Rail Review proposes to downgrade the Tullamore Railway Station and to up grade the line to Mullingar and Athlone so that from here on the Galway train would be via Athlone and Mullingar. This would be a major change in the historical status of the Rail link since 1858.

The New County Council Offices - Sculpture
The new County Council offices are now well established and have lately been applauded in the Irish Times as a major contribution to architecture in the Midlands and deserving of national awards. In recognition of the opening of this major new building and of its importance in County Administration the Society contributed a piece of glass made by the Egyptian glass maker Kwala Sawala and this can be seen on the third floor of the building. The piece of glass is contemporary in line with the building itself but also reflects the efforts to establish high quality craft business in Co. Offaly ( it was made at the old mill at Belmont) .

Reminder
Those who have not paid their 2003 membership renewal of €25 could they do so as soon as possible.

Annual subs
A lot of members have renewed for 2003. If you haven't, please do so at your earliest convenience. The sub is still only €25.

2004 Journal
Articles for the 2004 issue are now urgently required. If you have something you would like to see in print, now's your chance. Ideally text should be in Word format and on computer disk.

Launch of Shinrone Photos Book postponed
Noel MacMahon regrets that the launch of his book has to be delayed until further notice due to a family concern.

Some work on the Research Project
Much valuable work continues to be done on the FAS Community Employment programme.

Family History
The number of family history enquiries continues to grow from year to year. In 2000, for example we dealt with 728 requests and that number increased to 903 in 2002. In fact the level of enquiries has doubled since 1998. The highest percentage of queries, as you would expect, come from the USA with Australia and Britain following.

Databases
To provide the research we need sources and these continue to be added to on a daily basis. Currently we are engaged in computerizing the civil records of births and deaths for Offaly from 1864 to 1900 and to date just over 50,000 entries have been entered in the past ten months.

Web sites
Our two web sites offalyhistory.com and irishmidlandsancestry.com are continually updated and members and the general public are encouraged to use them for the information they contain. A list of material is included in this newsletter.

Photo scanning
Large numbers of the Society's photo collection are being scanned and stored on CD ROMs which makes locating a particular image easy.

Articles
Text for articles published by local newspapers are prepared on a weekly basis.

Articles on offalyhistory.com:

Tullamore
20th Century Chronology of Tullamore
Arthur Young's Account of Tullamore in 1776
Battle in Tullamore
Historical and Industrial Tullamore
Places of worship in Tullamore in 1915
The King's County Infirmary, Tullamore
The Famine in Tullamore
Industry and Business in Tullamore
Balloon Fire in Tullamore -- 1785
Tanyard Lane: Its place in the economic history of Tullamore
Tullamore Gas Company
A Short History of Tullamore Agricultural Show
Tullamore Workhouse
When Tullamore had a Tobacco Industry
Tullamore Dew
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
A History of Sragh Castle
Fairs & Markets in the 1850's
A Gross Violation of the Public Peace: -The Tullamore Incident, 1806
Memoirs of Nuala Holland

Archaeology
Ordnance Survey Letters for Offaly in 1838
A History of Offaly through its Monuments (written by Caimin O'Brien and published in the 'Tullamore Tribune' 2002)
The Dowris Treasure by Michael Byrne
Sacred Site of Dowris Hoard yields amazing insights
Castle Sites in Offaly (1997)
Cadamstown Archaeology
Notes on the Sculptured Slabs at Gallen Priory, by R. A. S MacAlister, M.A., F.S.A.
Forest Glass Furnaces in County Offaly, by Caimin O'Brien and Jean Farrelly
Excavations at Clonmacnois, by Heather King
Revealing a Private Inscription, by Conleth Manning
The Earliest Plan of Clonmacnois, by Conleth Mannning
The very earliest plan of Clonmacnois, by Conleth Manning

History Articles
in albhabetical order of location:
A General Census of Ballyboy & Killoughy, taken in October 1826 by Rev. W. Lynch
Ballycumber -- The Strange Story of The Glassy Pond, by Jim Kenny
Banagher Co. Offaly
Banagher was founded Fourteen Centuries Ago
Banagher's Famous Residents, by Gearóid Ó Broin
Banagher as a corporate town
Banagher Distillery, by Michael Byrne
Banagher Royal School, by Michael Byrne
Banagher Literary Associations
Rape Mills
Fire at Messrs. Perrys' Mills, Belmont, (King's County Chronicle)
Messrs. Perrys' Mills Belmont, (King's County Chronicle)
A History of Birr
Birr Distillery
Birr or Parsonstown, (extract from John Wright - Offaly One Hundred Years Ago, - Reprint of King's County Directory, 1890)
Birr and the 1834 Poverty Inquiry, by Micahel Byrne
Reminiscences and Letters of Sir Robert Ball, Parsonstown, (edited by W. Valentine Ball, 1915)
Parsonstown (Birr) Bridewell and Courthouse, (extract from John Wright - Offaly One Hundred Years Ago, - reprint of King's County Directory, 1890)
Thomas Lacy visits Birr -- 1863
Macregol's Gospels - The Book of Birr, by Margaret Hogan, in Irelands Own Summer Annual 1988
Childhood glimpses at Birr Castle, by Sally Shaw
Birr Parish and Church, (Offaly Historical round-up), by Michael Byrne
Birr--The making of a model town, (Offaly Historical round-up), by Michael Byrne
Sources for the history of the Town of Birr
Dedication of St. Manchan's Church Boher, 1939
St. Manchan's Church, Boher, 1939
Broughall Castle, County Offaly
Clara: The Armstrongs and Ambrose Cox, (Offaly Historical round-up), by Michael Byrne
Clara Parish, taken from Cogan -- Diocese of Meath, ancient and modern
Goodbody's Jute Works (Clara), by Michael Byrne
Memoir of Robert Goodbody, of Mountmellick, Clara and Tullamore, 1781-1860
Cloghan Castle
The Parish of Clonbullogue - from Historic Records
Caesar Otway and Patron Day at Clonmacnoise, by Michael Byrne
Clonmacnois - Seven Churches
Clononey Castle
Arthur O'Connor, M.P. for Philipstown (Daingean), 1763 - 1852
From Philipstown to Daingean - Down Through the Years, (Offaly Independant, 10th August 2001)
Daingean - Some Unfriendly Reports (1724 - 1846)
Daingean Reformatory described, by Michael Byrne
Sean Bourke's description of Daingean Reformatory, (published in the Old Limerick Journal, 1982)
Durrow, by Vincent Abbott
A Monastery at Durrow 550-1550, (extract from Tullamore Catholic Parish - A Historical Survey by Michael Byrne)
Who Killed Lord Norbury (Durrow)
The Old Church at Drumcullen, near Kinnity, by the Rev. John Healy - 1883
Monasteroris Parish, 1778-1978, by Charles W. Finney
Dean Digby and Geashill in 1798, by Michael Byrne
Historic Barony of Geashill in Old Offaly
Bloomville House, Geashill, by Michael Byrne
The Earl of Kildare's Manor of Geashill, by Lord Walter Fitzgerald (in Kildare Archaeological Society Journal)
Edenderry through the ages (compiled by Mairead Evans and Noel Whelan) - an Edenderry Historical Society Publication
The Story of Gallen Priory
Gallen and Kilreehan, two ancient Ferbane cemeteries, (Midland Tribune Article 23/3/1929)
Frankfort Castle, (extract from John Wright - Offaly One Hundred Years Ago, - reprint of King's County Chronicle, 1890)
The Kilcormac Missal
The Kilcormac Pieta, by Tom Daly, in Ireland's Own Summer Annual 1988
The Shooting of Roger North, September 1850 (Kilclonfort), researched by the late Fr John Moorhead SMA, a native of Rossbeg Rahugh, Kilbeggan
Killeigh Abbey
Killeigh Parish, from Rev. M. Comerford's Collections relating to the Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin
Killyon and Thomastown, (extract from John Wright - Offaly One Hundred Years Ago, - reprint of King's County Chronicle, 1890)
Kinnitty Castle and the Bernards, by Michael Byrne
Castle Bernard (extract from John Wright - Offaly One Hundred Years Ago, - reprint of King's County Chronicle, 1890)
Lemanaghan - St. Manchan, by Thomas O'Cleirigh, M.A., National Museum
Lemanaghan - extract from Cooke's History of Birr
The Burning of Leap Castle, by Noel Guerin, 1999
Tullabeg (Rahan), 1818-1968, by Francis Finegan, in Jesuit Year Book 1969
The Churches of Rahan and Lynally, by Fr. Gerard Rice, in Rite of Dedication of new Church of St. Colman, Mucklagh 1979
Shannonharbour
Shinrone Incident, taken from John Wright -Offaly one hundred years ago
Mount St. Joseph Monastery, Shinrone - it's Early History
Slieve Bloom - The Hills at the Heart of Ireland, taken from Ireland of the Welcomes, May-June 1992
Charleville Demense & the Bury's 1600-1900 (Tullamore), by Michael Byrne

Offaly Diarists
The Life of an Offaly Landowner in 1868 - Maxwell Fox of Annaghmore
Diary of Patrick Wrafter - 1921-1925
Memoirs of Robert Goodbody of Mountmellick, Clara and Tullamore, 1781-1860

Famous Offaly People
The Williams Family & Tullamore Distillery
Fr. Paddy Dunne, (extract from Dictionary of Australian Biography, Volume 3)
Rev. Dr. Michael MacAlroy, (extract from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 5)
Fr. Patrick Bermingham (extract from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 3)
Hugh Mahon, 1857-1931
Rev. Francis Sadleir, (extract from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 50)
Sir Herbert Holt, 1855-1941
Bishop William Quarter, 1806-1848, first Catholic Bishop of Chicago
William Bulfin, the Man from Pampas, (by Benedict Kiely from the Capuchin Annual 1948)
Cornelius Heeney, An Offaly Pioneer in New York, (taken from an account of Brooklyn: Past and Present - in the New York Irish Echo)
Admiral Sir Henry Darby
James Lynam Molloy, (by Desmond Moore)
William J. Casey, 1913-1987
Dick McRedmond, (taken from At the Foot of Slieve Bloom - History & Folklore of Cadamstown, by Paddy Heaney)
Charles Jervas, 1675-1739, (taken from In The Shadow Of The Fairy Hill: Shinrone and Ballingarry - A History by Noel Mac Mahon)
T.W. Rolleston, 1857-1910, (taken from In The Shadow Of The Fairy Hill: Shinrone and Ballingarry - A History by Noel Mac Mahon)
Rex Ingram, (by Declan McSweeney, in Ireland's Own Summer Annual 1988)
Rev. Dr. Timothy Corcoran, 1871-1943
Kate Shelly - Railway Heroine, 1863-1912
Joseph Stirling Coyne, (by Gearóid Ó Broin, in Ireland's Own Summer Annual 1988)
Macregol - Bishop of Birr, (by Margaret Hogan, in Ireland's Own Summer Annual 1988)
Earls of Rosse, Offaly's Scientific Tradition, (by Declan McSweeney, in Ireland's Own Summer Annual 1988)
James Meehan, 1774 - 1826, (taken from: In the Shadow of the Fairy Hill Shinrone and Ballingarry - A History by Noel MacMahon 1998.)
George Johnstone Stoney, 1826-1911, (taken from The Daily Express, Thursday, July 6, 1911)
The Literature of King's County, (by Matthew Russell S.J.)
Contribution of Offaly Writers to Irish Literature, (by Michael Byrne)
Edward Hand, 1742-1802
John Joly,1857-1933
Edward Redmond, 1766-1840, (extract from Dictionary of Austrailian Biography)
Francis & Mark Foy, (taken from the Daily Mirror, January 24, 1979)
Hovenden Hely, 1823-1872 (taken from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 4)
Peter Morgan Jageurs, 1862-1932 (taken from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 9)
Sir Thomas Naghten Fitzgerald, 1838-1908, (taken from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 3)
Thomas O'Grady, 1824-1890, (taken from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 5)
William Telford Webb, 1842-1911, (taken from Dictionary of Australian Biography, volume 6)
Robert Theophilus Garden, (extract from the Journal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
Anthony Trollope, 1812-1882
Bartholomew Elliot George Warburton, 1810-1852
Mary Ward, 1827-1869
The Poet Edward Egan, (by Michael Byrne)
William O'Connor Morris, 1824-1904
A. M. Munster, 1835-1892
Matthew Pilkington 1700/01-1774
Thomas Tyquin, (taken from In the Shadow of the Fairy Hill, Shinrone and Ballingarry -A History, by Noel McMahon)
Charlotte Bronte, 1816-1855, and her association with Banagher
John Barrett, academic and eccentric 1753-1851

Irish interest - general
Ireland and the American Revolution, (by David Doyle) (51KB)
Wesley in Ireland 1748-1789, (by Michael Byrne) (148KB)

Neighbouring Counties
Dunamase Castle - the Acropolis of Ireland
The Battle of Tyrellspass
A Westmeath Rebellion - Kilbeggan in 1798
Brusna (Locke's) Distillery, Kilbeggan
Portarlington (Extract from King's County Directory, 1890)
Portarlington - French Town
A-Z of Laois (Queen' County) in 1837 by Samuel Lewis

Distilling Industry in Offaly
The distilling industry in Offaly 1780-1954 by Michael Byrne, 1980
The Williams Family & Tullamore Distillery
Banagher Distillery by Michael Byrne, 1979
Tullamore Dew 1954
Tullamore Distillery by Alfred Bernard, 1887
Locke's Distillery, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath by Alfred Bernard, 1887
Birr Distillery by Alfred Bernard, 1887

Offaly - General
The A-Z of Offaly in 1837
Sources for Offaly History by Michael Byrne
Victorian Architecture in Offaly
The Crooked Road from Rahan to Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals
Families of the King's County
Reports on Historical Manuscripts by Anthony Smith
Pigot's Directory - Offaly Towns in 1824
The Kings County - from the King's County Directory, 1890
Sport in Offaly
Some Irish Victoria Cross Recipients
The origins and growth of Offaly towns and villages 1550 to 1841
Road Rail and Water
Grand Canal visitors to Offaly
Track by the Silver Water - a walk along the Grand Canal of Ireland
Local Government in Offaly - A Survey of Structures
How the Offaly County Council Began
Midland Tribune snippets from 1900
Offaly Bibliography by Subject
Milestones in Offaly History 1830-1980
Bernard Charles Molloy, M.P. for King's County
People and the Landscape in Offaly
Offaly and the 1834 Poverty Enquiry
Architectural History of Tullamore Courthouse
Religious Fervour in "Ely O'Carroll" in the 1830's
Some Social Customs in 1680's
Urban History Records as a source for Irish Family History
West Offaly in the 1800's
Monasticon Hibernicum, 1786, King's County
Ordnance Survey Letters for Offaly 1837-1838
Registration Districts
Plantation & Settlement
Townlands of Offaly
Churches & Houses of Architectural Interest in Offaly
Wellesley, Whiteboys & the Brampton Men by Dr. Jennifer Harrison, The University of Queensland
From King's County to "Quinnsland" by Dr. Jennifer Harrison, The University of Queensland

Midland Boroughs in the 1830's
Banagher
Philipstown
Kilbeggan

Visitors in Offaly (King's County) in 1800s
John Wesley in the Midlands, 1748 - 1789
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

News from the Past
'Offaly Industry & Commerce' articles published in the Offaly Independent:

• Tarleton's Malting Establishments in Tullamore in 1883
• Messrs. P & H Egan, Tullamore, Brewers, Malsters, Wine and Spirit Bonders and General Merchants
• A History of Banagher Distillery
• Perry's Mills, Belmont
• Goodbody's Jute Works
• Distilling in Tullamore

Midland Tribune snippets from:

• 1897
• 1898
• 1899
• 1900
• 1901
• 1902

Motor Car in the King's County (1898)
St. Manchan - A Visit to a Historic Offaly Centre.

Illustrated lecture on the history of Glassmaking in Co. Offaly with particular reference to Shinrone by Caimin O'Brien at the Research Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore, on Thursday 20th March at 8.15 pm.

Caimin was involved in the production of Archaeological Survey of Offaly and has recently co-edited a similar production for North Tipperary. He is a member of Offaly Heritage Forum and has done excellent work across the county. His lecture is eagerly awaited.

Durrow Abbey developments
The Society is optimistic that positive steps will take place at Durrow in the very near future. According to the local press negotiations between the owners and Dúchas are in progress.

Annual subs
A lot of members have renewed for 2003. If you haven't, please do so at your earliest convenience. The sub is still only €25.

2004 Journal
Articles for the 2004 issue are now being accepted. If you have something you would like to see in print, now's your chance.

Geraldine Stout to give lecture on Newgrange and the Bend of Boyne. - 10th April
Geraldine Stout, a leading Irish archaeologist, and the author of the recent best seller Newgrange and the Bend of the Boyne, will give an illustrated lecture on Newgrange and the Boyne Valley at the OHAS at Bury Quay Tullamore on the 10th of April '03 at 8.15p.m. The lecture is a public one and all are welcome.
In her lecture, Geraldine Stout will trace the origin of the evolution of the area from geological origins to the Neolithic tomb builders and the Roman pilgrims visiting Newgrange, to St. Patrick who "began his Christian mission in Ireland", the arrival of the Cistercians; the impact of Cromwell, the drama of the battle of the Boyne, and the transformation of the landscape by the eighteenth century stage.

Launch of Shinrone Photos Book
Noel MacMahon extends an invitation to Society members to the launch of his book of Shinrone photographs on 12th April in Shinrone Hall @ 8 pm. The Research Centre was involved in assisting Noel with some of the preparatory work and we can say that it will be a very interesting book not just for Shinrone, but for the county as a whole. He has to be congratulated in taking on this task and the book brings to six such photographic records of places in Offaly.

ESB Environmental Photography Awards Exhibition
Is currently on show at the Offaly Research & Exhibition Centre (Historical Society), Bury Quay, Tullamore. It is a must and runs until the end of March.