Kieran Keenaghan began his professional journey in 1967 as a civil engineer working on motorway construction in County Down. After gaining experience in the North, he returned to his native Offaly in 1969 to work for Bantile, a precast concrete factory near his home. He later moved to Charleville, Co. Cork to work as a project engineer for Golden Vale, overseeing significant building projects during a period of major investment in the dairy industry. In 1976, Kieran took a significant entrepreneurial risk by partnering with five others to buy the insolvent Bantile premises and establish Banagher Concrete. Under his leadership as Managing Director for over 40 years, the business grew from a small local operation into a national leader employing up to 500 people. Throughout his career, he integrated his professional engineering expertise with a deep commitment to the GAA, often leading major local development projects such as the Faithful Fields in Kilcormac.
(more…)Category: bogs
-
Farming in the Philipstown/Daingean in the 1830s: the evidence from the the 1835 Poor Law Inquiry part four (final): ‘The farmers who occupy the district are of two classes; some few large farmers very respectable, but the small farmers poor and distressed’. By J.J. Reilly. Offaly History Blog no. 789, 2.4.2026.
[This is part four and the final part of a blog article on the 1835 Poor Law Inquiry into the baronies of Philipstown Upper and Lower and is based on the transcripts from the original reports into social conditions in Ireland before the Famine. It provides a fascinating picture of farming in the area before the Famine, Ed.
Enjoy the weekend and sitback. We have the Book Fair on Saturday 4 April from 10 to 4 at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, beside the new Aldi.]
Tillage
The general produce of this barony is about equal proportions of tillage and grazing and the average size of the tillage farms is from 10 to 20 Irish acres; the Irish acre [1.62 statute acres] is used throughout the district. The largest farmer in this part of the country is Mr. Rait, who holds 700 Irish acres. In this barony there are no mountain dairy farms. The nature of the soil partakes of all kinds, from rich loam to the poorest clay, and was considered to be deteriorating in quality from the want of means among the farmers, caused by the low price of agricultural produce. It was, however, stated that the entire produce was greater now than formerly, owing to the far greater exertions now made. The farmers who occupy the district are of two classes; some few large farmers very respectable, but the small farmers poor and distressed. Some of the wheat is of the first quality, but in general it is not good in the district.
(more…)
-
Reports from the 1835 Poor Law Inquiry in Daingean/ Philipstown, County Offaly. By J.J. Reilly. Blog No 773, 3rd Jan 2026
Background to the Poor Law Inquiry
The Commission of Enquiry into the Poorer Classes in Ireland was the result of the United Kingdom government’s investigation of rapid increases in population living in extreme poverty. From their official reports in the post-Napoleonic period Ireland’s growth-rate had remained high. In the 1831 census Ireland returned a population of 7.8 million up from 6.8 million in 1821. In the year 1831 the population baronies of the Upper and Lower Philipstown was 17,311. The town of Daingean had a population of 1,454.[i] For King’s County in general please see our previous blog.[ii]
In the baronies of Philipstown Upper and Lower two commissioners were appointed: Jonathan Binns and James O’Hea. It should be noted, previous to the dissolution of the Parliament of Ireland in 1800, Philipstown returned two members to that legislature.[iii] In 1835 Tullamore became the county town and with that the assizes were moved there from Philipstown.[iv] As the Poor Law Commissioner Jonathan Binns reflected:
‘Its trade has disappeared – many of its houses are in ruins – its shops are falling into decay – and its population, as these signs sufficiently indicate, are poor and wretched.’[v]
(more…)
-
TRANSITION: Irish peatlands in a changing climate. A new photographic study of a landscape in flux. Blog No 769, 20th Dec 2025
Ireland’s peatlands have long been a defining feature of the country’s landscape and identity—vast, open expanses that have shaped communities, powered homes, and inspired generations. But in recent years, these peatlands have entered a new chapter. TRANSITION, a striking new photographic book, captures this moment of profound change with sensitivity and depth.
In 2019, a High Court ruling mandated that commercial peat harvesting on bogs over 30 hectares would now require planning permission. This shift accelerated the decline of industrial peat extraction, a process already underway as awareness grew of the ecological importance of peatlands. These landscapes, once seen primarily as fuel sources, are now recognised as vital carbon sinks and havens for biodiversity.
TRANSITION captures this story through objects in time – each one a tangible link to the past, a marker of the present, or a symbol of the future. Structured in a unique A–Z format, the book presents a curated collection of items that reflect the evolving relationship between people and peatlands. These objects are thoughtfully juxtaposed to highlight the dramatic changes in land use, environmental values, and cultural identity. Each item occupies a liminal space, bridging the industrial legacy of peat harvesting with the emerging ecological renewal.
(more…)
-
Mapping the Past, Shaping the Future: the Changing Story of Ireland’s Boglands. Blog No 692, 12th Feb 2025
News of a temporary exhibition at NLI Kildare Street, Dublin for February only
A new temporary exhibition at the National Library of Ireland explores the history of the Irish Bogs Commission and how its 19th-century maps are now shaping the future of Ireland’s peatlands.
Peatlands are among the world’s most vital carbon stores and play a crucial role in climate regulation. But when they’re drained, they lose their carbon sink potential and unique biodiversity and contribute to climate change. In Ireland, peatland drainage for agriculture and industry has shaped the landscape for centuries. Now, as part of national efforts to combat climate change, restoration of these ecosystems is a top priority.
(more…)
offalyhistoryblog 