The now online full census of 1926 is a great boon for family and local history. Already, most of us have looked up the manuscript returns for 1901 and 1911, now available online. Birr is fortunate in having the original returns for the barony of Ballybritt including the towns of Birr and Kinnitty for 1821. Nothing like this survives for the rest of Offaly – that is the other eleven baronies. However, the return of the number of people living in the lanes and streets of Tullamore was published in 1821 and provides an interesting insight into population and housing over 200 years ago. In a few weeks we take a closer look at the streets of Tullamore in new publications on the street names and its Bridge Street and High Street.
(more…)Category: Tullamore
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A Tullamore Company Director and his Crombie overcoat. By Michael Byrne, Blog no.824, 23 Oct. 2026.
No, it was not a blue raincoat but rather a Crombie of an unusual hue. Yet the wearing of it while dining in, not one but two Dublin hotels, was rejected by the headwaiters of such places. The set for this culinary tragedy was not the famous Restaurant Jammet, or the Royal Hibernian, but rather the Central Hotel and the Wicklow Hotel, both near enough to affluent Grafton Street but not haute cuisine for all that.
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In Memory of Sister Genevieve (Genny) Hassey. Offaly History Blog 822, 9 October 2026.
The following appreciation piece is based on an interview with Sr. Genny by Albert Fitzgerald on Midlands 103’s Life and Times programme recorded in 2007. You can listen to the full recording on Voices of Offaly which is accessible from the homepage of Offaly History website (www.offalyhistory.com)
On Saturday 3rd of October 2026, the community of Tullamore, County Offaly, and the wider Sisters of Mercy family bid a solemn and heartfelt farewell to Sister Genevieve Hassey—known affectionately to generations of students, parishioners, colleagues, and friends simply as Sr. Genny. Though born Philomena Hassey in Freshford, County Kilkenny, her life’s work, her warm smile, and her untiring spirit became inextricably woven into the fabric of Tullamore over more than seven decades. To write an appreciation of Sr. Genny is to recall a life marked by joy, resilience, dedicated service to youth and parish, an open-minded approach to education, and an enduring faith that touched countless lives.
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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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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
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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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Memories of life by the Grand Canal: the Cummins family at Ballycowan Lock as recorded in 1983. Blog no. 816 in the Offaly History Blog Series. 11 Sept. 2026
The Grand Canal, like all great waterways, has its own traditions. One of the most enduring of these customs is the tradition of loyal service given by those men and women who work on, or at the canal. In many cases, this tradition of service remains within a family, and is passed down from generation to generation. The Cummins family of Ballycowan Lock are such a family.
In the early years of the twentieth century when trade and commerce flourished, and the Grand Canal was still a thriving transport waterway with barges steaming up and down from Dublin to Shannon, Michael Cummins worked as a greaser in the Canal Basin T Shannon. In 1915 he was the victim of a tragic drowning accident in the place where he had spent his whole working life. He left behind a widow, Catherine, and a teenage boy, Joseph and to keep the wolf from the door, they had to find a new means of living. Thus began the long association between the Cummins family and Ballycowan Lock.
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Phil O’Reilly, Harbour Street, Tullamore – An Appreciation: He fought the good fight, both on the playing field and in civic life. A special article in the Offaly History Blog Series, no. 814, 1 Sept. 2026.
This appreciation piece is based on an interview by Aidan Barry and Shaun Wrafter (Offaly History members) with Phil O’Reilly Snr. at his home in Harbour St. Tullamore on 10th June 2024.
You can listen to the full interview here at Offaly History on SoundCloud. Go to Phil O’Reilly on SoundCloud or to Voices on the http://www.offalyhistory.com website. A lifetime spent in the quiet, noble service of a community leaves an indelible mark on the town that bred it. In the summer of 2024, when Shaun Wrafter, Offaly History sat down with Phil O’Reilly Snr in his beloved Harbour Street, the retired undertaker and former Offaly footballing legend looked back across his ninety years of life in Tullamore. With the news of his passing, Tullamore, County Offaly, and the wider GAA community mourn not just a giant of local history, but a man whose humble dedication, deep faith, and sporting courage touched generations.
From his earliest days kicking a ball along Harbour Street, Tullamore to the roaring, record-breaking crowds of Croke Park, and onward through over five decades of comforting grieving families as one of the town’s funeral directors, Phil O’Reilly Snr lived a life defined by decency, duty, and devotion.
Phil Reilly was born in 1993 and grew up in TullamoreBorn in 1933, Phil was a son of Tullamore and a true product of Harbour Street. His father, Phil, hailed from Tullamore, while his mother, Nora, came from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. The couple had married in New York, where Phil’s eldest sister, Patsy, was born in 1932 before the family returned to Ireland and settled into the property on Harbour Street.
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An Exciting Start: Fergal MacCabe recalls his first day at the School of Architecture U.C.D. in late October 1957. Blog no. 813 in the Offaly History Blog Series, 27.08.2026
At eight o’clock in the morning, my mother burst into my bedroom waving a telegram.
‘You have got a County Scholarship! You have to go to Dublin straight away!’
It was late October 1957. I had applied for a scholarship from Offaly County Council to study architecture in UCD but when the new term opened at the beginning of the month and I had no word I presumed that my Leaving Cert results simply weren’t good enough and had given up hope. Being an unemployed widow there was no way my mother could have found the money for fees and digs. A scholarship – of which there were only six- was my only hope.
At the last moment a student brighter than I had pulled out and I was next on the list. However, the offer had to be taken up that very day or else would be withdrawn. My mother thrust the telegram and three pounds into my hands and I raced to the station and caught the train to Dublin.
At Kingsbridge I got a taxi to the offices of the National University of Ireland in Merrion Square. My telegram from the Council was carefully scrutinised and to my great relief I was told that I was accepted but would have to be interviewed by the Professor of the School of Architecture who would have the final say. A call was made and I was told to race across to Earlsfort Terrace where Professor Desmond FitzGerald would interview me at one o’clock.
It was plainly obvious from the moment I entered his office that the Professor was unenthusiastic about my joining the course. I had already missed two weeks of projects and lectures and would never catch up, he said. Might it not be better if I used my scholarship to do an Arts degree. Anyway, why did I want to study architecture?
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