22 January 2004: Treasures of the Boyne Valley
Arising from his recent publication Dr Peter Harbison will be speaking to us on the Boyne Valley 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. Admission is free. The book by Dr Harbison is available at 50% discount ie €19.99 by ordering it through Gill and Macmillan or on the night with the purchase of two jars of honey.

The book traces the course of the river Boyne from source to sea, discussing its history, the landscape, the people who have left their imprint on the region since pre historic times. The house and monuments, the battle sites and all the other aspects that make Boyne Valley such a real source of interest.

Dr. Harbison is the author of numerous books on Irish History.

Notice of the annual general meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held on the same night as the lecture at 7 p.m. at OHAS Bury Quay and your attendance would be appreciated. The Agenda is as follows:-

  1. Minute of last A.G.M.
  2. Report of the Chairman
  3. Report of Secretary
  4. Report of the Treasurer
  5. Adoption of Accounts for the year 2002
  6. Any other business.

It is hoped that the meeting will be concluded at about 8.15p.m. to allow for the lecture to commence shortly afterwards.

Your outgoing committee of 2003 is as follows:-

  • Chairman: Steve McNeill
  • Secretary: Michael Byrne,
  • Treasurer Mr. Peter Burke.

Outgoing Committee:

  • Mrs. Helen Bracken, Daru, Arden Vale, Tullamore
  • Ms. Breda Hoey, Store St. Tullamore
  • Mr. James Matthews, Arden Tullamore
  • Mr. Matt Mooney, The Moat, Lynally, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
  • Mr. Owen Clyne, Kilbride, Clara, Co. Offaly
  • Mr. Fred Geoghegan, Frevenagh, Durrow Tullamore
  • Mrs. Ann Horan, 30 Davitt Street, Tullamore
  • Mr. James Kenny, Kilbride Street, Tullamore
  • Mrs. Marie Neville, Charleville Road, Tullamore
  • Mr. John Kearney, OHAS Bury Quay, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
  • Ms. Mary Jane Fox, Ballytoran, Shinrone, Birr, Co. Offaly.
  • Mr. Rory Masterson, Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
  • Mr Noel Guerin, Kilbride, Tullamore

Please note that all the Committee members elected automatically become directors of Offaly Heritage Centre Limited which is a charitable company which owns the building and carries on the financial business of the Society.

Heritage Tour to the Rhine Valley (Germany) from the 15.06.2004 to 22.06.2004.
A trip not to be missed. Anyone seriously considering going would want to book as soon as possible as there is a lot of interest in it. See last page for full details. Numbers strictly limited to 24.

The Journal 2004
The Journal was launched on the 7th of December. Our thanks to all the contributors and to the editor, Rory Masterson. 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 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 Report
Tasks currently in progress include:

  • ongoing organising of the photograph and slide collections,
  • cataloguing new book acquisitions,
  • computerising civil births, deaths and marriages for Laois and Offaly
  • computerising church records heretofore in hard copy
  • extracting material from microfilmed sources for publication
  • preparing articles for publication in the local press
  • preparation of publication on Midland Methodists
  • provision of family history research
  • Centre maintenance
  • Administration, membership list, monthly newsletter

Christmas Draw Winners

  • Jane Coen, Durrow
  • Joan McGill, Collins Lane, Tullamore
  • Rachel Fogarty, 112 Clonminch Wood
  • James Flynn, Spollinstown
  • Matt Mooney, Lynally
  • Evelyn Campbell, Caragh, Co. Kildare

Many thanks to all who supported the draw. It was a great success.

Recent Library acquisitions

  • Joe Devine The House of Corkagh (West Dublin) Donated by the author.
  • Michael Herity and Aidan Breen The Cathach of Colum Cille, an introduction.
  • Alan Hayes and Diane Urquhart (eds.) Irish Women’s History
  • Ray Rivlin Shalom Ireland, a social history of Jews in modern Ireland.
  • John Joseph Conwell A Galway landlord during the Great Famine, Ulick John de Burgh, first marquis of Clanricarde
  • Joe Clarke Christopher Dillon Bellew and his Galway estates
  • Rob Goodbody Sir Charles Domvile and his Shankill estate, County Dublin, 1857-1871
  • Geraldine Candon Headford, County Galway, 1775-1901.
  • R B McDowell Historical Essays 1938 2001
  • Myrtle Hill Women in Ireland, a century of change.
  • Raymond Gillespie (ed) The remaking of modern Ireland.
  • Karina Holton, Liam Clare & Brian Ó Dálaigh (eds) Irish Villages, studies in local history.
  • Amaia Bilboa Acedos The Irish Community in the Basque Country c. 1700-1800.
  • Eamonn Gaynor Memoirs of a Tipperary Family, the Gaynors of Tyone 1887-2000
  • Jérôme Aan de Wiel The Catholic Church in Ireland 1914-1918, war and politics
  • Sean Lyons The Forgotten Navigator, Saint Barron of Drumcullen
  • Brian Pey Eglish and Drumcullen, a parish in Fir Ceall
  • Toby Barnard Irish Protestant ascents and descents 1641-1770
  • D J Hickey & J E Doherty A new dictionary of Irish History from 1800
  • Danny Dunne (ed) Children of the Mounds, a history of the Gainstown/Gaybrook area. (Westmeath)

Recent Local Publications
 Congratulations to Sean Lyons and Brian Pey

Durrow High Cross
The good news here is that public pedestrian access is again available and people can now visit the well and High Cross as heretofore. Our thanks to Mr. Tom Parlon, TD who was involved in getting the necessary minor works done to facilitate and highlight that access is now available. The next stage will be to plan for the refurbishment and conservation works at the site and to consider proposals subject to planning etc for the use of Durrow Abbey house.

The acquisition of Durrow High Cross, Well, church and house is a major boast for the Midlands and for the Tullamore area in particular and should improve tourism awareness in the region and also awareness of our own monastic heritage.

Monastic Way lecture by Darrell Hooper 26th February 2004
An illustrated talk entitled The Monastic Way – focus on Offaly with particular references to Monasteroris (Edenderry), Rahue, Durrow, Rahan, Lemanaghan and Clonmacnois by Darrell Hooper

New Members
We want to welcome the following new members to the Society:-

  • Kieran & Mary O’Driscoll, Spollanstown, Tullamore, Co. Offaly – Life members
  • Ms Bernie Moran, Chapelizod
  • Ms Marie Smith, Morrough, Rahan
  • Mr Brendan Ryan, Ferbane
  • Ms Mary Keegan, Sragh
  • Mr Liam Keegan, Sragh

Membership renewal
Renewals for 2004 are now due. The fee is €25.

Membership renewal form

Name ____________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________

I enclose my membership fee of €25 for 2004.

Fee should be sent c/o Treasurer, Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society, Bury Quay, Tullamore.

A Standing Order form (only valid for members resident in Ireland) can be posted for the benefit of those whose fee is still outstanding.

Heritage Tour to the Rhine Valley (Germany) from the 15.06.2004 to 22.06.2004
Places strictly limited. Booking essential as soon as possible. Cost per person approx. €560. This incl. transfers, flight, Hotel (breakfast and one meal), daytrips and cruise on river Rhine. Full details in next newsletter. Our thanks to staff member Dorothee Bibby for planning this tour. Dorothee is a native of the area to be visited.

Tour to Germany June 2004
Price €560 approx. which covers transport to and from airports, flights, hotel including breakfast and one meal, day trips and cruise on River Rhine.

Programme of events:
15.06.2004 Tuesday:

13.00 pm Bus Tullamore – Airport

16.45 pm Flight Dublin – Duesseldorf ( Aer Lingus)

19.35 pm (German time) Bus to Rheinbrohl

21.30 pm approx. Supper – Hotel Jaegerhof

16.06.2004 Wednesday:

10.00 am Guided tour around Rheinbrohl (1.5h walk)

12.30 pm Lunch - Hotel Jaegerhof

15.00 pm Guided tour along the Roman watchtowers in Rheinbrohl (2h drive in special tractor trailers, drinks available)

18.00 pm Restaurant Bauernstuebchen

17.06.2004 Thursday:

Daytrip to Trier (www.trier.de)

8.30 am Bus will leave Rheinbrohl, Tour incl. 2h Guided tour in Trier

19.30 pm approx Dinner – Hotel Jaegerhof

18.06.2004 Friday:

9.00 am Trip to Koblenz incl. 2h Guided tour of City and Fortress Ehrenbreitstein – after time for yourself

15.00 pm visit of Castle Stolzenfels of Goloring

18.00 pm Dinner – Hotel Jaegerhof evening entertainment could be organized, please give suggestions (Concert: Classic or Jazz Music in Castle www.villamusica.de, Pub tour in Bonn or Koblenz)

19.06.2004 Saturday:

10.00 am Trip to Linz – time for yourself

12.30 pm Lunch – Hotel Jaegerhof

15.30 pm walk to Hammerstein c 1.5miles to meet a wine producer in wine yard and his wine cellar incl. wine testing and supper.

20.06.2004 Sunday:

10.00 am Bus will bring you to Koblenz

11.00 am – 17.00 pm Cruise on river Rhine Koblenz – Oberwesel

19.00 pm Dinner – Hotel Jaegerhof

21.06.2004 Monday:

Daytrip to Cologne (www.stadt-koeln.de)

9.00 am Bus to Cologne incl. 2h Guided tour – after time for yourself

19.00 pm Dinner – Hotel Jaegerhof

22.06.2004 Tuesday:

8.00 am Bus to Duesseldorf Airport

10.55 am Flight Duesseldorf to Dublin

The Society reserves the right to cancel the trip in the event insufficient numbers make it non-viable. Times may vary slightly.

BOOKING FORM

Name(s) as on passport ______________________/__________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

Telephone No. __________ Email address ________________

Booking fee (non returnable) of €250 per person enclosed