March Lecture In search of “Love’s Old Sweet Song”
The March lecture of the Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society will be held in the Society’s Conference Room at Bury Quay on Thursday, 18th March @ 8.30 pm. The illustrated lecture will be given by Sean Hackett is entitled In search of “Love’s Old Sweet Song” and will revisit the biography of local Offaly composer, James Lynam Molloy by the late Des Moore and show what further information has been gleaned from the World Wide Web and elsewhere about the composer, his music and his life since that publication. The lecture will be supplemented by selections from Molloy’s music and of those with whom he collaborated. He was born in Cornalaur, Rahan in 1837 and composed over 200 tunes, including Love’s Old Sweet Song, Bantry Bay, Kerry Dances as well as writing a charming book called Our Autumn Holiday on French Rivers. All are welcome

Clonmacnois
The first volume of essays on Clonmacnois was published about two years ago and is available at OHAS Bury Quay. The second volume of Clonmacnois by Heather King will shortly be available from the Society. Both of these publications are quite handsome. Enclosed with this newsletter is a recent article from the Irish Times of 24 January 2004 on the site.

March 25th
The first meeting will be held of the Journal Committee for the issue of the Journal of 2005.

April 2
Anthony Corns on the Offaly Landscape. Anthony Corns was with the Discovery Programme and will present an overview of his computer based studies of the Offaly Landscape. This presentation will be particularly useful for students of Offaly Landscape who also have some computer knowledge.

April 29th
Dr. Arnold Horner, Department of Geography UCD will talk about the bog maps of circa 1810 for the Midlands. This is an important lecture and further information will be made available in the newsletter.

May 2/5 Slievebloom Walking Festival
Further details from Gerry Hanlon at 0502/24167 or infor@slievebloom.ie

May 9th Tullamore Walk
On the 9th of May at 2.30p.m there will be a walk commencing at OHAS Bury Quay of Tullamore Town with particular reference to O’Connor Square North to the Courthouse and including Kilcruttin Cemetery. This walk is being held to mark the anniversary of the Great Fire which took place on the 10th of May 1785.

May 22nd Leamonaghan
Mr. Jim Kenny will lead a further tour through the parish of Leamonaghan to follow up on that part of Leamonaghan which we did not visit last year.

May 30/2 June
Kilbeggan Boat Rally venue Kilbeggan Edenderry and Daingean and Ballycommon contact IWAI 18909241191

Heritage Boat Association Shindig
Venue Edenderry to Tullamore on 31 May 2004
Info@heritageboatassociation.com

5th June
We proposed to visit and Tihilly sites to mark the acquisition of the Durrow property by the state and further details of this outing will be given in May. It is intended to have a social following on the event in the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre.

15th June to 22 June Society Trip to Germany
Details already announced and now booked out with a waiting list.

Mid June 2004
Celebrations will be held in the middle of June of 2004 in connection with the 150 anniversary of the extension of the railway from Dublin to Tullamore. The rail link was opened on the 2nd of October 1854 and it is intended to have a lecture in the week preceding the anniversary.

1st July
It is intended to have a canal walk to mark the two hundred anniversary of the connection of Dublin to Shannon on the grand canal and city system. This will be followed by a Social in the 26th Lock House at Cappincur.

10th August
Tullamore Show at Charleville Estate Tullamore

20 –22August
During the course of the Tullamore Phoenix Festival it is hoped to have a tour of Charleville Demesne on Sunday the 24th of August at 2p.m. commencing at Charleville Gate speaker to be confirmed.

Tullamore Phoenix Festival contact Anne Starling at 087/6509777 or info@phoenixfestival.ie

September 1 – 8 National Heritage Week
Contact 01/64724455 or heritageireland.ie

October 5-7 Carroll Home Coming Festival at Birr
Contact Tracey Coughlan at 0509 20923

Lecture on Farming in Ireland
Speaker to be confirmed.

Malachy Moran manuscripts

November
Archaeological Investigation – speaker to be confirmed

December - annual dinner
Speaker to be confirmed.