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    Founded in 1938 and re-established in 1969, Offaly History (Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society) aims to preserve and promote the rich heritage of County Offaly. Since 1993, the Society has occupied premises at Bury Quay, Tullamore offering a Bookshop, library, reading room, and lecture hall for researcher and members of the public.  Offaly History Centre is beside the new Aldi Supermarket and Old Warehouse restaurant), and best approached from Kilbride Street via Patrick Street or Main Street.

    The main objective of the society is the collection and sharing of research and memories. We do this in an organised way; through exhibitions, the publication of local interest books, weekly blog posts, monthly lectures, and more. The bookshop and reading rooms at Bury Quay are open to the public Monday to Friday, 9am-4:30pm. Regular updates can also be found at our website, www.Offalyhistory.com and on our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.

    To promote Offaly History including community and family history

    What we do:

    • Promote all aspects of history in Co. Offaly.
    • Genealogy service for counties Laois and Offaly.
    • Photographic collections of County Offaly
    • Purchase and sale of Offaly interest books though the Society’s book store and website with over 3000 history books in our shop and up to 1000 online.
    • Publication of books under the Society’s publishing arm Esker Press.
    • The Society subscribes to almost all the premier historical journals in Ireland.
    • The Society manages the collections if Offaly Archives under the care of a professional archivist.

    Our Society covers a diverse range of Offaly Heritage:

    • Architectural heritage, historic monuments such as monastic and castle buildings.
    • Industrial and urban development of towns and villages.
    • Archaeological objects and artefacts.
    • Flora, fauna and bogs, wildlife habitats, geology and Natural History.
    • Landscapes, heritage gardens and parks, farming and inland waterways.
    • Local literary, social, economic, military, political, scientific and sports history.
    Offaly History is a non-profit community group with a growing membership of some 150 individuals. The Society focuses on enhancing educational opportunities, understanding and knowledge of the county heritage while fostering an inclusive approach and civic pride in local identity. We promote these objectives through:
    • The holding of monthly lectures, occasional seminars, exhibitions and social media. Organising tours during the summer months to places of shared historical interest.
    • The publication of an annual journal Offaly Heritage – to date twelve issues.
    • We play a unique role collecting and digitising original primary source materials, especially photographs and oral history recordings
    • Offaly History is the centre for Family History research in Counties Laois and Offaly.
    • The Society is linked to the renowned Irish Family Foundation website and Roots Ireland where some 1,000,000 records of Offaly/Laois interest can be accessed on a pay-per-view basis worldwide. Currently these websites have an estimated 20 million records of all Ireland interest.
    • A burgeoning library of books, CD-ROMs, videos, DVDs, oral and folklore recordings, manuscripts, newspapers and journals, maps, photographs and various artefacts (now over 25,000 items and a catalogue online)
    • OHAS Collections
    • OHAS Centre Facilities
    The financial activities of the Society are operated under the aegis of Offaly Heritage Centre c.l.g, a charitable company whose directors also serve on the Society’s elected committee. None of the Society’s directors receive remuneration or any kind. All the company’s assets are held in trust to promote the voluntary activities of the Society. Our facilities are largely free to the public or run purely on a costs-recovery basis.

    Acting as a policy advisory body –  Offaly History endeavors to ensure all government departments, local authorities, tourism agencies and key opinion formers prioritise heritage matters.

    Meet the current committee: Our Committee represents a broad range of backgrounds and interests. All share a common interest in collecting and promoting the heritage of the county and making it available to the wider community.

    2024 Committee
    • Helen Bracken (President)
    • Shaun Wrafter (Vice President)
    • Michael Byrne (Secretary)
    • Dorothee Bibby (Treasurer)
    • Charlie Finlay (Assistant Treasurer)
    • Niall Sweeney
    • Ciarán McCabe
    • Noel Guerin
    • Angela Kelly
    • Rory Masterson
    • Oliver Dunne
    • Frank Brennan
    • Pat Wynne
    • Laura Price
    Co-opted
    • Reneagh Bennett
    • Michael Scully
    • Jim Keating
    • Eamon Larkin
    If you would like to help with the work of the Society by coming on a sub-committee or in some other way please email us at [email protected] or let an existing member know.  
    +353-5793-21421 [email protected] Open 9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri

    Offaly and the Treaty Debate: widespread acceptance. Specially contributed

    Early 1922 saw just two local organs of public opinion in Offaly – the Midland Tribune and the King’s County Chronicle. The Tribune was owned by the long-term nationalist Mrs Fanning, widow of the late Dr Fanning and herself active in regard to Sinn Féin policy on amalgamation of the workhouses. Her editor was James Pike from Roscore, long-term supporter of Sinn Féin who was now ready to recommend acceptance of the Treaty. So also was Archie Wright, owner of the Protestant and unionist Birr-based Chronicle. The Offaly Independent was more representative of North Offaly, but its printing works had been destroyed by crown forces in November 1920 and did not re-emerge until late spring 1922. During the course of 2022 we plan to bring you articles on the evolving situation in Ireland and Offaly in 1922 and we will be looking into the Offaly Archives, Offaly History Centre and Offaly Libraries to dig deeper for the nuggets.

    The beginning of the second great divide in Ireland: ‘Only nine of the 338 pages mentioned partition’. Lyons, Ireland since the Famine (1971), fn p. 443.

    Carson may have been disappointed but Southern Unionists such as those in Laois, including Lord De Vesci were in favour. So too were all the local authorities in Offaly and most of the local Sinn Féin executives including Clara, Mountbolus, Daingean and Edenderry. Birr Sinn Féin also supported the Treaty and defeated a motion to take no action (MT, 7 Jan 1922).

    The Dáil had debated the Treaty over a thirteen-day session and finally voted 64 to 57 to accept. The four TDs in Leix-Offaly Patrick McCartan, Kevin O’Higgins, Joseph Lynch and Frank Bulfin voted in favour. Early in the debate McCartain said he was disgusted at having to debate the Treaty and would not vote  at all.

    The days over Christmas were not all filled with debating and high politics. The bad weather and violent storms at New Year did not deter the Royal Scots Fusiliers from marching about Tullamore on the Saturday night 31 December with their pipers’ band playing. Early in the week a fancy dress ball was held in the Charleville school room attended by members of the crown forces, civilians and the ladies. In Kilcormac entertainment was put on by the technical school students. Business continued also and George N. Walshe who took over the Poole car sales business in 1920 at Bridge Street now requested permission to put a petrol pump outside the shop. Dr McGuinness of Kilbeggan was appointed by the new Central Hospitals and Homes Committee to be medical officer in Kinnitty. .. Dr McGuinness could not attend the meeting but his brothers were present and the appointment was unanimous with praise from Toler Garvey. Over at Moystown on St Stephen’s Day Mrs Waller Sawyer was caught up in an agrarian dispute and suffered loss, damage and personal injuries when a group of men entered Moystown House, Belmont.

    Drama and craic in Kilcormac January 1922

    Once the levity of New Year and the disturbances were over it was time again to consider the Dáil debate. No strange to Offaly was the full-time Sinn Féin organiser who was second only to Sean Robbins in topping the poll in the June 1920 county council election. More to everyone’s surprise Russell departed Tullamore for Dublin in October 1920. He was now in favour of the Treaty and wrote to the press about the choice before the Dáil deputies and the people.

    MR. T. M. RUSSELL & THE TREATY           Mr. T. M. Russell, Kingstown (late of Tullamore), in a letter to the Dublin Press on Thursday, states :- 1. Republic. 2. External Association. 3. Internal Association. Each of these three forms of Government has advocates in An Dail and in the country. To secure the Republic it is necessary that Britain should be completely prostrated. This is not the case. An Dail knows it, and has practically ruled out no. 1. According to the conditions governing the Treaty of 16th inst., any alternative threat would lead to immediate war. No. 2 is a proposed alternative. Therefore, unless a successful war be waged against Britain, No. 2 goes out. The difference between No’s. 2 and 3 is mostly sentimental. Should the country choose war, for a sentiment, with every human prospect of being beaten, and accepting the terms imposed by the victor? Or should An Dail and the country accept No.3, as already done by peace delegates, and work it in good faith, with peace and harmony at home, and peace and goodwill among the people constituting the British Commonwealth of Nations, encircling the globe. Irish citizens familiar with the fruits of the “Parnell Split” do not want another, and will not have it. Neither do they want nor will they brave another war, when it can be avoided, with profit and honour.   Ireland’s Treaty with Britain puts control of Finance, Customs, Excise, Industries, Fisheries, National Economics, Trade and Commerce, Defence and Education, in the hands of Irishmen. To turn down the Treaty, in the circumstances, would be the equivalent of national insanity… (King’s County Chronicle, 5 Jan 1921).

    Dr McCartan’s somewhat academic view on the Treaty did not go down well in Offaly. It was only a few months before that he had made his first visit to Offaly having been elected in the by-election in April 1918 and again in December 1918. Of a Sinn Féin board that Russell may have once chaired it was reported:

    OFFALY SINN FEIN & THE TREATY             A meeting of the Joint Officers Boards of the Sinn Fein Organisation for Offaly, was held in Tullamore. The meeting disagreed with the view of Dr MacCartan in his statement that the Republic was dead, as neither ratification or rejection would kill the aspirations of the Irish people. A resolution was passed advising the people to follow the advice of Messrs de Valera and Griffith, viz, to keep calm, and have their views expressed, as during the past three years, by their clubs. They passed a certain resolution, copy of which has been sent to Dr MacCartan and the Publicity Department of An Dail. (King’s County Chronicle, 5 Jan. 1922).

    Shopping in Birr in January 1922

    People who speak of war are those who will not fight’

    South Offaly was very much in favour of the Treaty and reports were carried by the Tribune and Chronicle:

    RESOLUTION ADOPTED IN FAVOUR OF TREATY. “People who speak of war are those who will not fight.”  A public meeting was held at John’s Hall, Birr, on Saturday, to discuss the question of the ratification of the Treaty. Mr. B. H. Drought (Secretary Offaly Farmers’ Association) acted as secretary to the meeting, which was he said, representative of the South Offaly Farmers Union and others. A suggestion had been made that a county meeting should be held, but this was not possible, as the representatives of the Southern end would not go to a meeting at the Northern end, and vice versa. [no Kilcormac venue in those days] Another meeting was, however, being held in Tullamore on that day and when its decision was announced he would telegraph the result to the proper quarters. The joint resolution of the two meetings would constitute a county opinion. Mr. Joseph Bulfin occupied the char. Others present included Messrs M. J. Horan, chairman Offaly Farmers’ Association; R. H. Drought, secretary, do., John Dooly, chairman Birr Urban County Council; J. J. Molloy, J. J. Kennedy, and M. J. O’Meara, solicitors; E. J. Fletcher, Thomas Dermody, Clonbardon; J. Grogan, Co. C.; P. McIntyre, Birr; John Connolly, Roscomroe; Philip O’Neill (secretary Birr Transport Union), Peter Brennan, Birr; M. Dalton, U.C., do.; J. J. Cashen, do.; James Hogan, do.; P. Davis, do.; Wm. Egan, do.; John Gleeson, U.C, do.; M. P. Cleare, auctioneer, Kinnitty; J. Bergin, Jonathan Cole, Castletown; J. F. Slye, Shinrone; M. Hackett, Johnsville, Brosna; Drs. K. Fleury, and J. D, Houlihan, Birr; A. Ryall, J. Bergin, Francroft; John Meagher, Loughawn; G. W. Drought, Roscrea; Jerh. J. O’Meara, Birr.       Mr. Joseph Bulfin (brother of Mr Frank Bulfin, M.P.), who was moved to the chair, on the motion of Mr. John Molloy, seconded by Dr. Fleury, said he felt honoured in being asked to preside over the meeting, which was called, he said, for the purpose of eliciting the views of the plain people – the views of the much talked of “man in the street” – on the question of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and to call upon their representatives in An Dail to carry out the view expressed. There would be a resolution put before them, and if there was any amendment it would be accepted also. He thought the present was not a time for speech making, and enough has been said for and against the Treaty in An Dail.  Mr. John Molloy, Solr., [and soon to be a district court judge] said he was very pleased to have been asked to submit the resolution favouring the acceptance of the Treaty. He had pleasure in submitting it, because he believed that there was never a time within recent years, when plain and outspoken action was more essential (hear, hear). In putting it it would be no harm to emphasise the fact that the present was a very critical time in Irish affairs and he would ask everyone – whether they met in public assembly or in private – not to use words of recrimination or bitterness, which might adversely affect the highest interests of the country. If there were people who differed from them regarding this Treaty they should remember that some of those who opposed it had brought about the present state of affairs by fighting and by the sacrifices which they made for the country. They all knew the sacrifices which had been made by President de Valera and those with him who opposed ratification. If those men had not made such sacrifices there would be no Treaty to be accepted or rejected, and whether they differed in small matters or big ones the freedom that had now been obtained was highly creditable to the men who had been successful in winning it. In recommending the resolution for acceptance he had no intention of making a lengthy speech. He merely desired to state briefly a few points which would go to show why the terms offered should be endorsed. An outstanding argument, to his mind, in favour of the Treaty, was that it obtained all the essentials of freedom.     The Substance of Freedom.   They had got the substance of freedom, and that was one reason why they should accept the Treaty (applause.) . . .        In seconding the proposition, Dr. K. Fleury said he would like to couple with it an appeal to the members of Dail Eireann, and to the country, for absolute unanimity. . . Mr. James Hogan, Birr, said that the previous speakers had told them very forcibly the reasons why the country should not again be plunged into turmoil in the future. It was only the youth – the cream of the country – who were in favour of war, but they should realise that such a war meant only turmoil and slaughter. “Let them turn the country into a shambles if they will, but there has been enough trouble and war,” he concluded.  

    Death of Daniel Ravenhill father of prominent men from Durrow in the War of Independence MT 14 1 1922.

    Very soon: The release of prisoners and the departure of the British army.

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