Offaly Material in the National Museum of Ireland
Lecture November 24 2005 8.15 p.m.

Some members travelled to Dublin to see the museum collection in Kildare Street recently and we had a very interesting tour and pleasant day overall. As it happens Offaly Heritage Forum under the aegis of Offaly County Council had already commissioned a survey of the Offaly artefacts in the National Museum and a database is now being complied. The author of the database is Jacqueline Mac Dermott. Jacqueline Mac Dermott is a freelance archaeological consultant, having graduated from NUI Dublin with a BA in Celtic Archaeology, and the Institute of Archaeology, University College London with an MA in Museum Studies. She has been working in both field and research archaeology for the past 13 years, and has been involved in similar catalogues and database projects for numerous county councils and county museums including Longford, Kildare, Tipperary, Clare, Carlow, Sligo, Mayo Kerry and Galway.

Ms. Mac Dermott has very kindly agreed to give us a talk on the database which is in the first stage of production and she will briefly outline the aim of the data base, the information contained therein, the main types of artefacts listed and the current restrictions of this stage of the project. She will demonstrate how the database works and outline its potential when completed as a research tool for archaeologists and researchers. This talk will be very informal, and general questions throughout will be welcome.

Annual General Meeting

Notice of Annual General Meeting of Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society to be held at Bury Quay Tullamore on Thursday 24th November at 7.30p.m.

The items for discussion are as follows:-

1. Chairman's address and minute of the previous meeting - Steve McNeill
2. Reports of the Secretary - Michael Byrne
3. Treasurer Peter Burke
4. Manager of FAS Scheme John Kearney
5. Computer Developments Noel Guerin
6. Library Steve McNeill
7. Family History Margaret White

Elections

The outgoing committee for 2004/2005 was as follows:-

1. Chairman Steve McNeill
2. Secretary Michael Byrne
3. Treasurer Peter Burke
4. Committee Members: Ms. Marie Neville, Ms. 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. Matt Mooney, Mr. Owen Clyne, Mr. & Mrs. Fred Geoghegan, Mrs. Anne Horan, Mr. James Kenny, Mr. Sean Hackett and Mr. Darrell Hooper.
5. Any other business

All places are to be filled. Would officers and committee members please ensure that they can attend the meeting on the 24th of November at 7.30 p.m. We would welcome new members who would have an interest in contributing to the work of the Society. If you are interested would you please contact Mr. Steve McNeill or Michael Byrne in advance of the meeting so that the proposal may be put to the meeting.

We have some 150 members for 2005 as per attached sheet and we look to having all our members at this meeting and indeed at our Christmas lunch on 4th December. The Christmas lunch is open to the public so please bring your friends.

Christmas Draw

We once again ask you for your support in our annual Christmas draw which raises funds to help us to maintain our centre and develop and grow it and in particular the library. You are asked to support the enclosed draw by returning the card with as many tickets as you can sold. There are great prizes to be won. Tickets have to be returned by 12 noon on Thursday 22nd Dec.

Christmas Lunch

The annual Christmas Lunch will be held on Sunday the 4th of December at the Bridge House Hotel at 1p.m. The cost of the lunch is €25 with the usual choice of fish or meat. Please ring the office 0506 21421 to book.

Our Speaker after lunch is Mr. Philip Lumley who will be talking about recollections of Tullamore. The talk will be illustrated.

The Lumley family are one of the longest established families in the town of Tullamore now and are in business here since at the least the 1850s. Philip Lumley has been in business in Tullamore for over fifty years and no doubt has some stories to tell. The after lunch talk will be illustrated with appropriate pictures of old Tullamore.

New Books on CD for Research

From: Archive CD Books Ireland [newsletter@archivecdbooks.ie]
Sent: 19 October 2005 11:07
To: Michael Byrne and OHAS members
Subject: Carrigan's History of the Diocese of Ossory

Issue 3, 19 October 2005

Dear Project Members and Friends,

Welcome to the Archive CD Books Ireland newsletter. We are delighted to announce the latest release. This is a very special title as we have reproduced the entire four volumes of Rev. Carrigan's monumental History of the Diocese of Ossory (1905) along with a New Index published this year by the Diocese of Ossory by Helen Litton. We have worked closely with the Carrigan Centenary Committee and the Diocese of Ossory to make this possible, and the result is an invaluable tool for the study of Kilkenny and Laois. Full details about this title appears at the end of this message and online at:
http://www.archivecdbooks.ie/acatalog/New_Releases.html

We have been busily working away at Trinity and have digitised dozens of rare books. As a consequence we have over 100 titles to release in the near future. These include many more county directories (including all those by Bassetts), county histories, more statistical surveys and much more besides. So keep an eye out for newsletters later this year.

Those of you who are members can get your discount on all these titles by logging onto our web site following the instructions we sent you by e- mail. If you are not members we urge you to join the Archive CD Books Ireland Project. For a small initial payment you can get discounts on ALL our titles, and any ones we release in the future too. Your membership will help us grow the project, and make the wealth of Ireland's rare (and often forgotten) published heritage available to all. We also plan to publish special editions, just for members, in thanks for their support.

Carrigan's History of the Diocese of Ossory and New Index
Ref: IE0016 ISBN: 1-84630-042-8
Price: EURO 57.81 (ex VAT)
Description: William Carrigan's History of the Diocese of Ossory (4 vols, 1905) is one of the most important historical publications concerning Counties Kilkenny and Laois ever produced. Carrigan's main interest was the history of the church from the earliest times, and his four volumes, contain a history of the Bishops and other diocesan officials, as well as an extensive introduction to the area's political history. Thereafter he journeys from parish to parish recording a vast amount of information concerning all aspects of the area's history, always with special emphasis on religion. His books are copiously illustrated with photographs, maps and drawings, reflecting his desire to accurately record the antiquities of the Diocese.
Importantly, the four volumes contain extensive extracts and transcripts of original manuscript material, much of which was lost in the destruction of the PRO in 1922. This digital publication of Carrigan's work also includes the first ever comprehensive index to his work by Helen Litton (published in 2005). This Index also contains an extensive biographical study on Carrigan by Fearghus Ó Fearghail and a foreword by the current Bishop of Ossory, Laurence Forristal. This CD-ROM has been produced in association with the Diocese of Ossory.

So come to our web site at: http://www.archivecdbooks.ie and order today.

We also want your feedback on what we are doing. Are there titles you want published? Do you have a book which should be? What do you think of the Project? or any other questions and comments you might have. Just mail us at, enquiries@archivecdbooks.ie.

We hope to hear from you soon,

Archive CD Books Ireland
Unit 1, Trinity Enterprise Centre,
Pearse Street,
Dublin 2,
Ireland
Tel: +353 1 6710338
Fax: +353 1 6710281
www.archivecdbooks.ie
enquiries@archivecdbooks.ie

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Ballycumber Pilgrim Way

Reference to the Pilgrim Way between Ballycumber and Clonmacnois you may have been seen in the Irish Times on 15th October 2005. This is part of the Sli mor Walk that has not yet been signposted although it is possible to cycle it.

Offaly Heritage Seminar 2005. - Saturday 26 November - At Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre

Topics covered
The Architectural Inventory of Offaly
The 2005 Hedgerow Survey
The Survey of Offaly's Bridges
Offaly Biodiversity Action Strategy
Mac Regol Gospels Project
The Schools CD Project

Plus a Field Trip to Durrow Monastic Site

To book a place or for more information contact apedlow@offalycoco.ie
or call Amanda Pedlow at 0506 - 46839.
For full conference brochure and details see - http://www.offaly.ie/offalyheritage/

Amanda Pedlow Offaly Heritage Office
Offaly County Council, Áras an Chontae,
Charleville Road, Tullamore, Offaly.
0506-46839

A Fishy adventure
Freeman's Journal 24 September 1857: A Narrow Escape.-On Saturday last a young gentleman named Hodder ROBERTS, of Kilmoney Abbey, went to enjoy a day's fishing on the Carrigaline river, and in a short time hooked a splendid salmon of immense size, which showed capital sport for over half an hour. when the Luckey (?) angler was unfortunately tripped by some roots & fell into the river, which was a little swollen at the time, <& running rather fresh, & was actually lowed down the river a considerable distance by the fish, the intrepid sportsman still holding on to the rod until nearing a dangerous hole called the "Gurley" (a sort of small whirlpool), when Mr. Shaw BUSTEED, one of the most experienced anglers in the county, hastened to his assistance, and fortunately had a stroke haul about him, which he succeeded in booking Mr. ROBERT'S coat, & by great exertion drew him to the bank much exhausted, but his ardour in no way damped, for he plunged in immediately after and laid hold of his rod, which was running a race down the river, and finally succeeded in landing the fish, which was well worth the ducking. It weighed over 26 lbs., being the largest fish
caught in that river for the last twenty years.- Cork Reporter. Contributed by Mr Nick Reddan. Try reading the piece aloud - you'll soon notice that it is almost all one sentence!
Taken from the Irish Genealogical Research Society Newsletter, vol. 4, no. 2, Oct. 2005.

Conservations - snapshots of modern Irish life by Darragh MacIntyre is the title of a book recently acquired for our library. Included in the book is an eight page chapter on Matt Connor.

Family History
You might consider having your family history researched as a Christmas treat for yourself or another member of your family. There is a special reduction available until the end of November. Give Margaret a ring on 0506 21421 for further details.

Books and Photos
You might also bear in mind that there is a great range of local books and old photos for sale at the Research Centre, ideal for Christmas presents.