A window on Offaly in the early 1800s. The work and world of the Bogs Commissioners
Venue: OHAS Bury Quay, Tullamore 29th April at 8.15p.m. Speaker Dr. Arnold Horner.

The distinguished geographer, Dr. Arnold Horner of the Department of Geography UCD, will give the April lecture on the subject of the work of the Bogs Commissioners who prepared the bog reports and bog maps of the early 1800s. These maps are a significant local history source but not that well known because they are difficult to access. Extracts have been published from time to time. The lecture is free and open to the public and we look forward to seeing you. Refreshments served afterwards.

Anthony Corns lecture on the Offaly Landscape
This lecture had to be postponed and a new date will be advised to you.

Living under thatch
The new book on Offaly thatched houses by Barry O'Reilly, which the Society was instrumental in having published under the auspices of the Offaly County Council Heritage Forum, and with a small financial contribution from the Society is now available to be purchased at €15 from local bookshops and from the Society's offices.

May 2/5 Slieve Bloom walking festival
Further details from Gerry Hanlon at 0502/24167 or infor@slievebloom.ie

May 9th
On Sunday the 9th of May at 2.30p.m there will be a walk of Tullamore Town commencing at OHAS Bury Quay 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
 Outing to Leamonaghan Part II with Jim Kenny

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 1890 9241191

Heritage Boat Association Shindig

Venue Edenderry to Tullamore on 31 May 2004
Info@heritageboatassociation.com

5th June
We proposed to visit Durrow 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.

Agricultural History Society of Ireland
In association with Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society

Venue: Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Theme: Farming in the Midlands Date: Friday 11th June -Sunday 13th 2004, in an attached leaflet are details of an exciting weekend seminar on farming in the midlands to commence on Friday the 11th of June for the weekend. The Agricultural History Society has lined up an impressive list of speakers and the seminar will be a good preliminary to the trip to Germany for those members travelling. We look forward to a good attendance at this seminar and further details of it will be available in the next newsletter.

Theme: Farming in the Midlands

Date: Friday 11th June -Sunday 13th 2004

Friday 11th June
Introductory talk by John Feehan, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science, UCD

8.00 p.m. Farming in the Midlands

Saturday 12th June 2004

9.30-10.00 a.m. Conor Mc Dermot, Irish Archaeological Wetlands Unit, UCD Prehistoric Farming in the Midlands

10. 00 -10.30 a.m. Aidan O' Sullivan, Archaeology Department, U.C.D.: Early medieval agriculture in the Midlands: Evidence from Crannogs

10.30-11.00 a.m. Matthew Stout, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra:
Early medieval agriculture in the Midlands: Evidence from Ringforts

Coffee

11.30-12.00 p.m. Mark Hennessy, Geography Department, T.C.D: Agriculture in High Medieval Ireland with special reference to County Tipperary

12.00-12.30 p.m. Grainne Breen, Allied Irish Banks
Agriculture on the 19th century estates in County Offaly

12.30- 1.00 p.m. Tim O'Neill, History Department, UCD
From the Famine to the Land Acts: Land reform in Ireland

Lunch

2.00 p.m-6.pm.. Saturday Afternoon: Field trip

8.00 p.m Conference Buffet Dinner: The Durrow Room, Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore

Sunday 13th June 2004

10.00-10.30 a.m, Liam Kennedy, History Department, Queens University , Belfast

The peoples Fuel: Turf in the Irish Economy since 1800

10.30 -11.00 a.m Seamus Mc Philib National Museum of Ireland

Farm and Folklife in the Midlands

Coffee

11-11:30 Paul Rouse RTE:

Government and Agriculture in Ireland after World War II with special reference to the Midlands

12.00 -12.30 Michael Byrne, Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society: Agriculture and industry in the environs of Tullamore in the Eighteenth-century

A walk around Tullamore led by Michael Byrne, Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society

Slán abhaile

Membership renewals
While most members have already renewed their 2004 membership, a small number still remains outstanding. Could we ask the remainder to pay as soon as possible.

2005 Journal
The editorial committee are currently preparing for the Society's 2005 Journal. If you have an article about something or some place with an Offaly dimension that you want published, here is your opportunity. Contact the editor Dr Rory Masterson, c/o the Society preferably in MS Word on floppy disc.