offalyhistoryblog

Offaly History Lecture at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore, R35 Y5V0 On Monday 26th January 2026 at 7. 30 p.m. following the AGM at 7 p.m. Offaly History presents a lecture about the recently launched “Voices of Offaly” resource available from http://www.offalyistory.com. The collection now comprises over 300 recordings of Offaly People captured over the past 30-40 years. Presented by Aidan Barry and Shaun Wrafter.

The illustrated lecture with voices will include:
1. An overview of the resources available on the new “Voices of Offaly” website.
2. A chance to listen to short audio clips which will give a flavour of the recordings available on the website.

1. Overview of the Website
The website is organized into several key sections:

• Recent: Showcases all newly added recordings and updates to the collection from 2024 and 2025.
• CD: A collection of over 200 recordings which are archived on CD in Offaly History, Bury Quay, Tullamore which are now available on this website.
• Stephen McNeill: Highlights the recordings facilitated by the late Stephen McNeill in Offaly History, Bury Quay in 2010/2011. This section features interviews with Joe Kenny, Brian Hughes, Sr. Oliver Wrafter, John Flanagan, Stephen McNeill and Dorothy Oakley.
• Midlands 103: Connects the project with our local radio station, Midlands 103, and features recordings provided to Offaly History by the late Albert Fitzgerald. Included in the recordings here are interviews with Willie Loughnane, Tony Bernie, Tony Garahy, Ger Connolly, Deirdre Fox, Noel Kerrigan, Seamus O’Dea, Simon Casey, Brendan Grimes, Lt. Pauric Moran, Paul Bell, Sinead Boland, Tommy Corrigan, Paddy Heaney, Niall Sweeney, Tom McNamara, Sr. Genny Hassey and PJ Grennan.
• James Kenny: Focuses on the recordings (1990-2002) of the late James Kenny, a notable figure in Offaly History’s early oral history recordings. Recordings include Mary K Cummins, Johnny Cummins, P Nolan, Paddy Heaney, Jim McNamara, Mrs Hickey, Roly O’Neill, Dr Tim O’Neill and Terry Dolphin.
• Noel McMahon: Recordings from the Shinrone area recorded by Noel MacMahon. Recordings include John Deroe, Rita Cahalan and Eileen Kennedy.
• 1912-23: Offaly in the Decade of Centenaries – Offaly History has six podcasts related to the Decade of Centenaries, which explores the period from 1916 to 1922 in Ireland. These podcasts offer insights into historical events and figures, particularly those connected to Offaly. The series features podcasts on topics like The History of Birr Barracks, The Grand Canal, The Tullamore Incident 1916 and individual profiles of notable figures from the period. Contributors to the podcasts: Stephen Callaghan, James Scully, Dr Paul Hughes, Michael Byrne and James P. Cullen.
• Other: Access to other podcasts available online featuring voices of people from Co. Offaly.  The podcasts listed here include
  “Harvesting the History” –a series that explores the natural landscapes of Offaly, connecting the people, the places, and the peatlands. Presented by Garret Daly,
  ‘Capturing our Story: Kilcormac’ Oral History Project, with support from Creative Ireland, Offaly County Council Heritage Office and Kilcormac Development Association, features recordings of local residents who provided wonderful and descriptive testimonies of life down through the years,
  “The GAA Oral History Project” which was commissioned by the GAA as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations in 2009 to record, collect and preserve the memories, stories and opinions of the people involved in the GAA and
  The “Stories of Bord na Móna” podcast – an LOETB Community Education Production, where the stories and experiences of those who dedicated their working lives to this iconic Irish company are shared.
  

2. Audio Clips form the Website that will feature in the lecture:

Colm Madden
Car Trouble: Colm recalls purchasing his first car, a “Bluebird” in 1954 from Jimmy Geoghegan for £25.  At age 19, his insurance broker, Mr. Rumgay, advised him how to secure a cheaper rate.  A few years later, he had an embarrassing moment at the Hibernian Insurance.

Joe Lee
The Seven-Day License: Joe discusses the pub scene in Geashill many years ago. His family’s pub was unique because it held a seven-day license, whereas others could only open six days a week. Joe gives insights in to the Sunday rush.  Because of the license, Sundays were incredibly busy. Patrons travelled from miles away just to qualify to get a drink.

Paddy Cleary
Economic Hardship: Paddy reflects on a time of poverty, in Tullamore, where food was scarce and never wasted. Stale bread became bread pudding, and leftover potatoes became potato cakes. Fridays were fast days consisting of bony herrings and rice as a rare treat. Saturday nights involved a scrub with harsh carbolic soap.

Gerry Murray
Female Officers: Gerry Murray was promoted to Inspector in Tullamore Garda Station in the early 1980’s. He recalls the arrival of the first female Garda in 1982. He admits that, at the time, male members, mistakenly, did not rate female officers as highly.

Greg Cusack
Confirmation Exams: Greg describes the intense pressure of the Catechism exams before Confirmation. Teachers were terrified of receiving a bad report from the visiting priest or bishop. He explains how the results impacted how students presented themselves to the bishop and the congregation on Confirmation Day.

May Dowling
Charity Cycle: May tells the story of her husband John’s fundraiser for the rehab centre in Dun Laoghaire on the eve of his GAA presidency. Despite not being a regular cyclist, he organized a group to cycle from Tullamore to Bundoran, Co Donegal. The group was accompanied by a piper, Brian Gallagher, who played them into every town.

Freda Kinnarney
Tullamore Show Origins: Freda traces the start of the famous agricultural show to a 1990 meeting led by Christy Maye. Christy wanted the Midlands to have an event where everyone could experience the joy he felt as a child winning a competition at his local fair.The first show in 1991 was an immediate success, attracting 4,000 to 5,000 people and featuring everything from cattle and sheep to baking and crafts.

Leonard Dolan
Kitty McCann’s Legacy: Leonard discusses his relative, Kitty McCann, a legendary golfer who won the British Ladies Open Amateur Championship in 1951.Unlike her rivals who practiced until “their hands bled”, Kitty viewed golf as a social activity. She was a “scratch” player who could play 18 holes in under two and a half hours. Leonard highlights her “two iron” and wooden-shafted clubs, noting that her victory remains a rare feat—only eight Irish women have ever won the title.

Mary Dunne
The Cobbler’s House: Mary grew up in a three-story house (built in 1787) that smelled of leather and echoed with the constant sound of her father’s hammering.Her father worked as a cobbler until he was 80. He also taught Mary carpentry and electrical work.These skills were to prove very useful to her in later life.

Important Note:
This oral history collection on the Voice Of Offaly website is provided free of charge. There are no costs or subscriptions required to access and listen to the recordings. If you wish to listen to the oral histories on your mobile phone we recommend downloading the SoundCloud App which is free to use for this purpose. To access the collection log on to Offaly History.com and click the Voices of Offaly icon on the home page.