Lecture on Eskers

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

More in preparation

Laois
Peter Lalor
William Russell Grace
James Fintan Lalor
John Barrett
Charles Beale
James Erskine
James Abraham Graves
John Baldwin Hoystead Merideth
Jocelyn & Bartholomew Thomas
Quaker Families of Mountmellick
More in preparation

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