The changing face of Offaly towns in the early 1900s: An illustrated history edited by Michael Byrne with contributions from Paul Barber, Stephen Callaghan, Grace Clendennen, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Goodbody, Ger Murphy, John Powell, Laura Price, Ciarán Reilly and Brendan Ryan (Offaly History, Tullamore, 2024, 368 pp). Available from Offaly History Centre and Midland Books Tullamore and online at www.offalyhistory.com. ISBN 978-1-909822-38-2 (hard back), €27.99. The book will be launched at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore – beside the new Aldi and Old Warehouse. It is already available at the Centre, online at http://www.offalyhistory.com and at Midland Books, Tullamore. If you cannot attend in Tullamore we have a launch at Giltrap’s of Kinnitty on Thursday 21 Nov. at 7. 30 p.m. We will have copies in Bridge Centre for the Christmas Sale 14 to 24 December.
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Memories of Offaly: celebrating the mix of rural and urban life in the 1960s and 1970s by Killina, Rahan man Aidan Grennan. Blog No 667, 6th Nov 2024
Memories of Offaly can best be described as opening a diary into life in Co Offaly, over the last 50 or 60 years. The author of the book is Aidan Grennan, from Killina, Rahan. Aidan is to be congratulated on his second book. Both books are available from Offaly History Centre and online at http://www.offalyhistory.com
‘It is a nostalgic glimpse into the people and events in the county within my own life-time’ said Aidan. He commented: ‘I think it’s important now and then, to take a look-back over the years. I love nostalgia’, though we have to live in the present.
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19 Tullamore Irish National Foresters: One of the oldest organisations in Tullamore. A photo-essay to mark the 125th anniversary, looking at the first 25 years from 1899 to 1924. No. 19 in the Anniversaries Series by Michael Byrne and Offaly History. Part Three and concluded. Blog No 664, 26th Oct 2024
In early 1916 the Foresters accommodated a support dance for the war effort and a ceilidh organised by the new branch in Tullamore of Cumann na mBan. A report of the first Ceilidh Mhór of Tullamore branch of Cumann na mBan held in the Foresters in early January had over 100 couples in attendance. The Tri-colour prominent in the hall was that ‘of the ’48 men, green, white and yellow’. The decoration of the hall was carried out by a ladies committee of Cumann na mBan assisted by Messrs Bracken, McNally and others (all prominent in the First shot episode in Tullamore in March 1916).The president of the branch was in attendance, Mrs P.F. Adams, as was P.F Adams. The Ladies Committee included McBrian, Mooney, Neary, Conway, Galvin while Messrs Alo Brennan, Seamus Connor and H. McNally and Miss Long assisted. These men and women were all prominent in the national movement and the breakaway minority group from Redmond’s Volunteers.[1] In a strange decision Adams gave up his seat on the county council in February 1917 in favour of the Limerick-born T.M. Russell, the new full-time local organiser for Sinn Féin. The Foresters were not happy that Tullamore now had no representative on the council except ‘this new man’.[2]
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18 Reflections of a rambler to Geashill and its railway station in County Offaly, almost 90 years ago. No. 18 in the Anniversaries series by Offaly History. Blog No 663, 23rd Oct 2024
A rambler to Geashill in 1936 recorded his thoughts on the railway station, the village itself and the poems of Edward Egan who lived close by at the Meelaghans. The railway station closed about 1961, and Edward Egan better known as ‘The Poet’ Egan was in his last years when Rambler visited in 1936. For all the praise for Egan there were few at his funeral in Killeigh old churchyard. Nor is there any tombstone to mark his name.
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Listening to some well-known Offaly people: a Commemorative Lecture to mark the contribution of the upwards of 300 men and women who have given their time to build the audio library of memories of their area and life stories in County Offaly. Presented by Aidan Barry. Blog No 662, 18th oct 2024
The oral story of Offaly people in the Offaly History Centre sound archives collection. 21 October 2024, 8 p.m. Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay Tullamore, R35 Y5V.
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The presentation by Aidan Barry will consist of the following:
– An overview of the oral history resources available at Offaly History and how to access them.
– Commemorating the work of Maurice O Keefe (RIP) at Irish Life and Lore and Albert Fitzgerald (RIP) at — – Midlands103 and also the late James Kenny of Clara Bridge, Tullamore.
– Listening to samples from the Oral History collection at Offaly History
– Recording Oral History and editing recordings
– Transcribing Oral recordings using the latest technology
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Remembering Sean Robbins of Clara and later Birr (1892–1960): Volunteer, anti-Treaty IRA quartermaster, county councillor (1920-24), GAA footballer and administrator, Birr Social Welfare Officer. By Aidan Doyle. Blog No 661, 16th Oct 2024
Sean Robbins was born at Erry, Clara in 1892. After his father’s death he was raised by his mother Mary, a domestic servant. Robbins worked as a labourer in Clara’s main employer the Goodbody Jute factory.
Involved in amateur dramatics, in 1911 he played the role of a United Irish General in a patriotic play ‘Wolfe Tone’ staged by the local players group. A noted athlete, he competed in 220- and 440-yard races across Leinster. Having won a junior football medal with Clara in 1911, he went on to represent Offaly at senior level. Away from the field of play, he was club committee member, assisting men like Jim Rafter in the promotion of Gaelic games in the town. A well-known referee, Rafter dedication to the role, saw him described by historian James Clarke the as ‘The Knight of the Whistle’.
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STEA2M Engineering Heritage October Festival at Birr, 19th Century Pioneers to inspire 21st Century Engineers 18th to 20th October 2024. Blog No 660, 12th Oct 2024
The Great Telescope at Birr
Agenda for the Festival
Friday 9am to 5pm – Discover Birr Castle Demesne by taking on the engineering trail through the gardens and science centre.
Friday 7pm – Welcome reception with tea and sandwiches followed by opening lecture(1) – 8pm. Note: All lectures in Birr Theatre and Arts Centre
- 8.00pm Lady Alicia Clements – Introduction to the Engineering Weekend Festival
- 8.15pm John Burgess – The Parsons Families of the 19th Century
Saturday – 10.00am Lecture (2) – Power on Land
- Brian Leddin TD – Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action – Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Geoff Horseman (Formerly Head of Turbine-Generator Engineering at Parsons and Chief Turbine Engineer at Siemens Newcastle-Upon-Tyne) – Evolution of the Parsons Land Steam Turbine
Saturday – 11.30am guided discovery tour in Birr Castle Gardens to visit (Please note to wear non-slip footwear and outdoor gear for walking on garden trails):
- The Leviathan and LOFAR Telescopes – Peter Gallagher or Joe McCauley
- The refurbished suspension bridge,
- Rejuvenated hydro-electric turbine, and
- The secret of the lake’s ingenious water level management system.
Saturday – 1.15pm Lunch at the Kellys Bar
Saturday – 2.30pm Lecture (3) – Power at Sea
- 2.30pm Ian Whitehead – Turbinia – a daring venture in marine propulsion
- 3.00pm Geoff Horseman – Engines of the First Giant Turbine Passenger Liners
- 4.00pm Jody Power – Marine Propulsion Steam Turbines – A Personal Journey
A recess of 2 hours from 4.30pm to regroup at 6.30pm in John’s Hall
Saturday – 6.30 pm Exhibition in John’s Hall, Birr.
8.00 pm Dinner in Doolys Hotel
Sunday – 10am – Lecture (4) – Power to Change
- 10.00am – Benita Stoney – The Stoney family collaboration and achievements
- 10.45am – Una O’Grady – Renewable Energy in the Midlands – Wind, Water and Stars
- 11.30am – Stephen Grant – Engineering at a time of change – 21st to 19th Centuries parallels to inform a paradigm shift in addressing climate change
- 12.15pm – Lady Alicia Clements – Farewell notes
Sunday 1pm and 2pm – Guided tours of castle
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The closure of Tullamore Jail in 1924. No. 12 in the Anniversaries Series. By Michael Byrne and Offaly History. Blog 653, 18th Sept 2024
Just 100 years ago the closure of Tullamore prison was announced effective twelve months later. That was a legal formality as the prison had been severely damaged in the burning of July 1922 and by the extensive looting that followed. The town was without an effective police force since December 1921 and the new Civic Guard was not fully established in the town until May 1923. There had been sightings of them from September 1922 but the proposed new police barracks in the former county infirmary in Church Street was not ready due it being occupied by TB patients who were to be moved to Birr.
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9 Tullamore jail: 1830–1924: a county institution built at Cormac Street, Tullamore in the Gothic style. No. 9 in the Cormac Street history series. A contribution to the Living in Towns Programme supported by the Heritage Council. By Michael Byrne and Offaly History. Blog No 652, 14th Sept 2024
Undoubtedly, the history of Tullamore jail would make a book in itself for besides the mundane occurrences there were a few extraordinary events such as the imprisonment of some of those involved in the Plan of Campaign including William O’Brien and John Mandeville in 1887-88, the women’s suffrage prisoners in 1913, the Tullamore Incident prisoners of 1916 and, of course, the executions, the last in Tullamore being in 1903, and of a woman, Mary Daly. She was buried in quicklime in the precincts of the prison as were those before her. Perhaps no more than twenty from the 1830s. In 1936 the remains of these prisoners were reinterred in Clonminch RC cemetery according to a note in the Offaly Independent in 1962.[1] That may not be the whole story as Mary Daly was said to have been buried three times – the prison, Ardan and finally her home place in Laois.
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