OFFALY HISTORICAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETYBury Quay, Tullamore, Co. OffalyWeb site: www.offalyhistory.com Email: ohas@iol.ie Telephone: 057-93214NEWSLETTER October 2008Monday 13th October Michael Byrne will give a lecture on the history of the legal profession and the courthouses in County Offaly. This will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the court buildings, the history of the local solicitors, barristers, the courts and the changes in court administration since the 1800s. The speaker has completed two years of research on the topic for a publication later this year.
Monday 15th September 2008 The lecture on recent archaeological and historical discoveries along the route of the N52 Tullamore Bye Pass had to be postponed and is now being rescheduled to a new date early next year.
13th October 2008 AGM
The thirty-eight annual general meeting of the Society will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Monday the 13th of October before the lecture. The agenda is as follows:-
(a)Receive the report of the chairman
(b) the Secretary
(c) the treasurer and to consider the expenditure and income.
(d) to appoint the auditors
(e) to transact any other business.
Set out below are the names of the committee and we would very much welcome the continuance of the membership in participating in the committee and taking on projects that they have an interest in and that advance the work of the society. The Society will be celebrating its seventieth anniversary with its original founding back in 1938 and re establishment in 1969. We look forward to a full attendance at the meeting.
The outgoing officers and committee are:
Chairman: Steve McNeill
Secretary: Michael Byrne
Treasurer: Peter Burke
Committee Members: Ms. Marie Neville, Dr. Mary Jane Fox, Mr. John Kearney, Mr. Henry Edgill, Ms. Dorothy Bibby, Mrs. Helen Bracken, Mr. Noel Guerin, Ms. B. Hoey, Mr. James Matthews, Ms. Kitty O’Neill, Mr. Brendan Clarke, Mr Shaun Wrafter, Dr. Rory Masterson, Mr John Hume, Mr. Matt Mooney, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Geoghegan, Mrs. Ann Horan, Mr. James Kenny and Mr. Darrell Hooper.
As special incentive to members attending on time we are giving a copy of the ordnance survey letters for County Offaly at €30. This is a 50% discount on the original price of €60. The book has only recently been published and is a must for all those interested in Offaly history.
We look forward to having you at the meeting.
Saturday 1st November. Wintering birds walk at Turraun / Boora. Bird Atlas winter fieldwork starts on this date. Meet at Turraun Car Park, adjacent to Pullough, at 11:30. Event led by Alex Copland of Birdwatch Ireland.
10th November 2008
Noel E. French of the Meath Heritage Centre will give a lecture on Hugh de Lacy and his assassination at Durrow. Hugh de Lacy was beheaded at Durrow by a native back in 1186 and to tell us more of the story of his life, Noel will give an illustrated talk on 10th November to commence at 8.15 p.m.
December 5th Friday will see our Christmas meal take place in the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre adjoining our own building at 7.30 p.m. on Friday the 5th of December with music to follow afterwards.
Journal 2007/2008 Hard back copies of the Journal are now available. The cost of the hardback edition of the Journal is €30 which approximates to the cost price. There are only fifty copies so if you would like a copy please contact the Research Centre immediately to order same.
Birr Seminar 11 October 2008
Seminar on the Faddenmore Psalter find
Saturday 11 October at Dooly's Hotel, Birr
9.30 am to 4.15 pm
While cutting turf at Fadden More bog near Birr in July 2006, Eddie Fogarty found the remains of an illuminated manuscript copy of the Psalms of early medieval date along with an important leather binding and the remains of a leather bag. It was the first medieval manuscript ever found in a wetland environment and made international headlines.
The Psalter which looked 'like a bowl of lasagne' when found is now being conserved in the National Museum of Ireland where it presents many challenges to archaeologists, art historians and others.
A panel of experts was assembled by the National Museum of Ireland to examine the Psalter. At the seminar in Birr they will discuss the excitement of the find, the task of disentangling the wet pages to interpret them and the difficult decisions that had to be made - with no guiding precedents - to conserve the manuscript, the binding and the bag.
More details at www.birrhistsoc.com
News from Edenderry Historical Society
Lecture “Remembering Irish soldiers; Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the 1st World War” by Sean Connolly at the Quaker’s Meeting House, Fr Kearns St., Edenderry at 8 pm on 10th Oct.
“Remote sensing of monastic settlement in County Offaly” a lecture by Dr. Paul Gibson of NUI Maynooth at 8 pm on Nov 14th in O’Donoghue’s Function Room, Fr. Kearn’s St.
Fun walk From Ballycommon along the Canal Line to Kilbeggan Grand Canal Harbour, Sunday, 5th Oct - Amanda Pedlow, Heritage Officer
Each year the Kilbeggan Grand Canal Harbour committee arrange a walk along the 8 miles of the now dry canal line from Ballycommon to
Kilbeggan. It is a wonderful walk through different landscapes on a route that provides an interesting perspective. The meeting point is at
the Harbour in Kilbeggan (past the church approx 1km into the countryside) at 1.30 pm. A bus then brings walkers to Ballycommon where you walk back to the harbour.
Light refreshments and tea at the harbour building after the walk. Do bring your family and friends to this scenic walk and enjoy the day!
For further information contact: Dan Scally 087-277-0141 or 057-933-2316 or Mary Fox 057-933-2213.
Recent publications
The Railway House tales from an Irish fireside by Barry Kennerk available in hardback. The 203 page publication is a recollection of stories told to the author by his grandmother about how the family lived at the level crossing at Ashfield near Clara. The book retails at €11.95
Calendar of the Rosse papers edited by A.P.W Malcomson in hardback consisting of 591 pp. This publication is available for members for €75.
The Roscrea conference see enclosed for details
Roscrea Conference leaflet