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Irish Settlement Newsletter
Latest Offaly History Blog Content
- Agriculture in Offaly on the eve of the Great Famine. By Ciarán Reilly
On the eve of the Great Famine in 1845 the backwardness of Irish agriculture was seen by many as the reason for much of the country’s economic woes. About Irish farmers, it was stated that they knew nothing of the ‘English’ method of farming or indeed welcomed its arrival. However, there was amongst many Irish … Continue reading Agriculture in Offaly on the eve of the Great Famine. By […]
- Mother and Child Report: an opportunity to reflect and research our family and social history.
One in every three illegitimate children died within one year of birth in 1924. The mortality rate was said to be five times higher than that for parented children. The death rate of infant illegitimate children in the institutions was high as they were undernourished. The high level of infant mortality seemed to cause surprise … Continue reading Mother and Child Report: an opportunity to […]
- The Dowris Hoard. By John Dolan
Bronze Age Ireland The Irish Bronze Age dates from approximately 2500BC to 500BC. The period is characterised by the wealth of new, innovative and exciting metalworking techniques. The population of Bronze Age Ireland was highly organised. This period was a time of extraordinary wealth and international exchanges between Ireland, Britain, central Europe and Spain. Among the exceptional […]
- The Tullamore Grand Canal Hotel, 1801–1974. By Michael Byrne
The first hotel constructed in Tullamore in 1786 cost £200. The second in 1801 about £4,5,00. Even by multiplying by 200 for the cost of living today, this expenditure was light in the context of the three new hotels in Tullamore in 1997- 2008 which may possibly represent a total expenditure of €25 million for … Continue reading The Tullamore Grand Canal Hotel, 1801–1974. By […]
- Robert Goodbody, amateur doctor in Clara and Tullamore during the Famine. By Michael Goodbody.
This is our first blog of 2021 and we are pleased to have a growing number of contributors as the interest in local studies continues to expand in Offaly and in Ireland. Last year our blog posts (82) reached over 103,000 and amounted to 144,000 words. Michael Goodbody has two important articles on Clara houses, … Continue reading Robert Goodbody, amateur doctor in Clara and Tullamore during the […]