Category: Oral History

• Tullamore and the Third World War: a hasty departure from Berlin in 1961. Blog no. 820 in the Offaly History Series, 1 October 2026. By Fergal MacCabe

  As the 13th of August comes around, the present rising tensions between Russia and the West bring me back sixty-five years to the Summer of 1961 and my ringside seat at its most momentous event.

  The Cold War was hotting up and the nuclear powers were preparing for a confrontation when myself and some classmates from the School of Architecture in UCD arrived in London hoping to make enough summer money to get us through the next year. Our skills were instantly snapped up by firms engaged in the delivery of priority defence projects.

  For the next two months I worked night and day churning out drawings for the construction of a nuclear submarine base at Faslane in Scotland. By the end of July we were all exhausted but having saved enough money, we badly needed a break. One of us had bought a second-hand car so we decided to make an architectural pilgrimage to the Continent before returning to Ireland.

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  October 1, 2026

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• An Appreciation of Andy Gallagher (1936–2026). Blog no. 819, 27 September 2026,

  This appreciation is based on an interview Andy Gallagher conducted with the late Maurice O’Keeffe in 2012.

  Introduction:

  The recent passing on 14 September 2026 of Andy Gallagher in his ninetieth year—just a couple of weeks short of his 90th birthday—marks the end of an extraordinary era for Offaly and Tullamore. A towering figure in the GAA, a dedicated public servant, and a cherished community leader, Andy Gallagher was, in every sense, a proud son of the Faithful County whose immeasurable contribution and legacy will endure for generations. To chart Andy Gallagher’s life is to chronicle the growth of modern Tullamore and the transformative rise of Offaly hurling from modest beginnings to the pinnacle of All-Ireland glory.

  For the interview Voices on www.offalyhistory.com or direct to Soundcloud

  Andy Gallagher by Offaly History on #SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/QMpcyRRiPWIaey7JvT

  
  Early Days:
  Born and raised in the heart of Tullamore, Andy’s roots ran deep into the local soil. When once asked about his lineage, Andy proudly confirmed that his family went back as far as records could trace in the Tullamore area. The son of Matthew (Matt) Gallagher, a skilled carpenter who worked with local contractors, Andy grew up steeped in the town’s traditions. He received his education at the local Christian Brothers school, where his natural sporting gift and lifelong love for Gaelic games were nurtured.

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  September 27, 2026

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• The Groome Family of Knockdrin and Garr in the Heart of Uíbh Fhailí. ByPadráig Groome. Blog no. 807, 24 July 2026.

  The Groome Family of Knockdrin and Garr in the Heart of Uíbh Fhailí

  

  

  Introduction

  Nestled on the frontier of the ancient kingdom of Uíbh Fhailí, beneath the shadow of Croghan Hill, lies the historic townland of Knockdrin—a place long known as the “Hill of Conflict.” For centuries, this landscape formed part of the heartland of Gaelic Offaly, where kings ruled, battles were fought, and generations of ordinary families worked the land and built their lives.

  Like many Irish families, the history of the Groomes was preserved through seanchas, the ancient Irish tradition of storytelling. Long before history was written in books, it was carried in memory. Stories of ancestors, local events, victories, hardships and family life were passed from one generation to the next around the warmth of the turf fire by the seanchaí (traditional storyteller), ensuring that the history of a family and its community would never be forgotten.

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  July 24, 2026

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• Henry Robinson in conversation with Sandra Robinson about his life at Belmont and working with the Grand Canal Company from the 1930s. Part 2 (concluded). No. 794 in the Offaly History Blog Series, 1 May 2026.

  Down in the Jetty. In your early childhood? Yeah. What form of lighting was used down there?

  Hurricane lamps. All the time. All the time

  There was always a few hurricane lamps here and you’d light up and walk down with this hurricane lamp hanging out of you and, you know,

  And that was in the office and in the store.

  Oh, yeah. No other light only paraffin oil, hurricane lamps. During the time that the boats were traveling night and day, they always had a red light up in the stern of the boat.

  That’s up on the front of the boat?

  Yes. Just as one board could see another.

  And what? These lamps. What fueled the lamps?

  Just an ordinary pony and trap lamp, you see, with a candle in it. And that’s all just red surround. Well, that was before the all night traffic stopped. There was a big strike, and there were several boats tied up here.

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  May 1, 2026

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• Concrete and Community Kieran Keenaghan – An Appreciation by Offaly History. Blog no. 792, 18 April 2026

  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.

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  April 18, 2026

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• Henry Robinson in conversation with Sandra Robinson about his life at Belmont from the 1930s and working with the Grand Canal Company. Offaly History blog Series, no. 791, 17 Apr. 2026

  Introduction

  My grandfather, Henry Robinson, was born on the 18th of November 1920 and lived his entire life in the countryside between the villages of Belmont and Cloghan in County Offaly in Ireland. He grew up on a small strip of land between the River Brosna and the Grand Canal.

  It was on the Grand Canal where his own father, G.R. worked on the local jetty, unloading goods and acting as an agent for Guinness. The Grand Canal to Shannon Harbour was opened in 1804, and for some 150 years was a vital industrial thoroughfare linking Dublin with Limerick.

  The canal ran from the centre of Dublin and through the Irish Midlands until it met the River Shannon. Barges would travel along the canal and then down the Shannon and across the waters of Lough Derg, until they reached the city of Limerick.

  Over the course of several months in 2003, my aunt Sandra Robinson sat down with her father, my grandfather, and recorded some 24 hours’ worth of material on cassette tapes detailing his life and his knowledge of farming, milling, the canal trade and the history of the Belmont area of West Offaly. I have digitised and remastered these recordings in order that they be preserved for posterity. Here I present some 35 minutes of cut together with  material detailing my grandfather and great grandfather’s experiences working on the Grand Canal.

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  April 17, 2026

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• Noel MacMahon, Former Principal of Shinrone, Co. Offaly. An Educator and an Historian.An appreciation article by Offaly History. Presented by Aidan Barry. Blog no. 786, 17.3.2026.

  Introduction:
  Noel MacMahon passed away on 4^th March 2026. Noel was born in Shinrone, Co. Offaly, in 1934, into a family where education was the primary vocation. He attended primary school in Shinrone where his parents were principals of the local boys’ and girls’ schools. He attended St Flannan’s secondary school in Ennis and later attended University College Galway (UCG), earning a B.Comm. He entered national teaching somewhat “on the spur of the moment” in 1952 when a new rule allowed graduates to qualify with one year at St. Patrick’s College of Education, Dublin. Following his graduation and after three years as principal in Coolderry, he returned to Shinrone in 1959 to succeed his retiring father. Noel retired from teaching in 1997 but continued to contribute to parish life by publishing a number of books on the history of the area.

  Oral Historian:
  Starting in 1994, Noel recorded interviews with 31 local residents of Shinrone, including blacksmiths and estate workers, to preserve their knowledge before it was lost. These interviews are now available on “Voices of Offaly” which can be accessed from the homepage of the Offaly History website (www.offalyhistory.com)

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  March 17, 2026

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• GLORY CLAFFEY! Paddy Claffey, Noggus, Co. Offaly, who has been officially declared the oldest man in Ireland. By Frances Browner. Blog no 783 in the Offaly History Series, 27 Feb. 2026

  Paddy Claffey was born in Noggusboy, Ferbane, on April 17th, 1921, three months before the end of Ireland’s War of Independence. His parents were Sarah (Flaherty) of Gallen and Kieran Claffey, Noggus. The youngest of their ten children, Paddy had six sisters – Maryann, Maggie, Kit, Ellen, Jane, and Sarah – and three brothers – Ned, Kieran, who died aged 27, and Johnny, at birth.

  The siblings attended Gallen NS, where Paddy’s teacher was Master Goodwin. In Brendan Ryan’s book, On Gallen Green, a 1927 school photograph on page 122 shows P.J. Claffey in the front row.

  For his 90th birthday party in the Bridge House Hotel, I had the pleasure of interviewing my granduncle and writing his story. Paddy was a natural storyteller. Recalling his first time away from home for a long spell, he was thirteen and had taken an awful pain. Doctor Maher advised hiring a car to drive him to Tullamore. The hospital was the very same as a big hayshed, Paddy said, with auld lads smoking; they couldn’t see one another with the smoke. His sister, Ellen, cycled in to see him every day, and the woman who owned Lawless’s shop sent her two daughters with books and sweets. He was glad to go home, but couldn’t get used to the small house in Noggus for the longest time.

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  February 27, 2026

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• Offaly History Lecture Series, Monday 26 January 2026 “Voices of Offaly” Website. By Aidan Barry. Blog no. 776 in the Offaly History Series.

  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:

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  January 23, 2026

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