5 July, Saturday morning from 11 to 12 30 p.m. Walking tour of Tullamore town: Patrick Street and Church Street with Michael Byrne. Explore the history of these old streets dating back to the 1700s, from the military barracks of 1716 to the church of 1726, county hospital of 1788, the Methodist chapels (4) and the families and shops over 250 years. Find out what is left of the old barracks; where was Swaddling Lane and Pike’s Lane, the linen factory. Who was the Henry in Henry Street – and so much more.
We can meet outside Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay (beside Old Bonded Warehouse restaurant) for ease of parking from 10 45 a.m. All are welcome and the tour is free. Teas/Coffee and bathrooms available from Offaly History Centre from 10. 30 a.m. A big welcome to Birr IGS members who are planning to join the tour.
12 July Saturday morning from 11 to 12 30 p.m.Walk around Harbour Street, Store Street, St Brigid’s Place, the Harbour and O’Carroll Street with Michael Byrne. We can meet outside Offaly History Centre for ease of parking from 10 45 a.m. All are welcome and the tour is free. Coffee and bathrooms available from Offaly History Centre from 10. 30 a.m. Tea and scones available.
Introduction In June Offaly History launched “Voices of Offaly” – a website which serves as a digital archive dedicated to preserving and sharing the personal histories of individuals from County Offaly, Ireland. By collecting and presenting oral histories, the platform offers a window into the lives, experiences, and memories of the county’s residents. Blog no 7 in the Offaly History Series This new resource is accessible from the main Offaly History home page. http://www.offalyhistory.com
Sir Richard Colt Hoare’s account of his visit to Ireland in 1806 is of interest to us in County Offaly for his comments on the progress of building at Charleville and the two surviving drawings of the Srah and Charleville castles in a book of drawings of Colt Hoare’s in the RIA. These drawings are important for the catalogue of topographical drawings and paintings of King’s County/Offaly interest and hence their inclusion here. Srah/Sragh Castle can be described as Tullamore’s oldest surviving house and was erected in 1588. The fortifed house has attracted the interest of antiquarians since the 1800s. The Colt Hoare drawings are among the earliest and certainly that is so for Tullamore where paintings and drawings of topographical features are scarce until the contemporary artists began to fill the void.
In the early days of the Irish Free State two ambitious projects stood out as justifying the struggle for national independence.
In 1925, out of a total national budget of £25 million, the fledgling government bravely invested £5.2 in the Shannon Hydro Electric Scheme. Finished within four years, it ensured a degree of energy autonomy and dramatically improved living conditions, particularly in towns and later in rural areas.
In a second progressive advance the State embarked on a programme to build a modern hospital in every county.
The 2011 demolition of the old Coláiste Choilm building brought back many memories for former staff members. The last member of the staff when the school moved from Convent Road to High Street/O’Moore Street was Séamus O’Dea, who died in 2017 at the age of 93.
In an interview many years ago with the Offaly Express, Mr O’Dea recalled how he joined the staff of the old St Columba’s Classical School in 1955. Located at the junction of Convent Road and St Bridget’s Place, that school had opened in 1912.
February marked the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Manila. Fought in the closing months of World War II, the operation to liberate the Philippine capital from Japanese tyranny turned into a massive slaughter of 100,000 non-combatants and the destruction of that beautiful city. Not widely known is that among those killed were five Irish Columban fathers who were based in the parish of Malate in Manila. One of them was Fr. Patrick Kelly from William Street in Tullamore. The others were Regional Superior, Fr. John Henaghan from Louisburgh, Co. Mayo; Fr. John Lalor from Cork; Fr. Peter Fallon from Dunmore, Co. Galway; and Fr. Joseph Monaghan from Banbridge, Co. Down.
On December 8th, 1941, just hours after they bombed Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, Japanese troops invaded the Philippine Islands. The defending forces, under General Douglas MacArthur, consisted of American and Filipino troops. Inexperienced and ill-prepared for battle, they retreated to the Bataan Peninsula, leaving Manila, the capital, undefended. By January 2nd, 1942, an advance column of Japanese soldiers had entered the city. Thus began a brutal three-year occupation of the islands.
Do come to the lecture and musical event on 12 April, 3 p.m. Saturday at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore (beside New Aldi and Old Warehouse)
Bernard Delaney (1854-1923) – Offaly piper conquers America
Bernard Delaney was an extraordinary man, a superb musician and above all a survivor. Birr Historical Society presented the story of piper Bernard (Barney) Delaney in January and we are glad to confirm a further lecture and musical afternoon to recall his life and contribution to Irish traditional music. This time in his home town of Tullamore. Delaney suffered the loss of three of his four children and his wife in the late 1870s and was forced to leave his country in search of hope and a better life in the New World. Delaney was a master of the Uileann Pipes. The Talk will focus on his life, the story behind his enrolment into the elite Irish Music Club of the Chicago Police Department and his legacy.
Short presentations will be given by both Frank Kelly and Seamus Kelly.
Delaney’s musical heritage will be played at the event by Frank Kelly and musical friends.
Frank Kelly is from Lusmagh and has written articles about Delaney for the Fleadh Cheoil Clár and the Comhaltas magazine Treoir.
Seamus Kelly is from Kildare with Birr connections. He has researched Barney’s life and written the book Bernard ‘Barney’ Delaney (1854-1923) Offaly and Chicago Piper. Copies available from Offaly History Centre.
Bernard Delaney, Source: Francis O’Neill, Irish Minstrels and Musicians (1913)
‘We are more or less indebted to Bernard Delaney for the introduction of many fine tunes to our community. His well-deserved reputation as an Irish piper did much to spread the local knowledge of his music among local musicians, as well as to promote the popularity of Irish music in general.’ Source: Francis O’ Neill, Irish Folk Music (1910)
Ahead of Fleadh Cheoil ns h-Éireann 2009, I researched the life of Bernard (Barney) Delaney of Killeigh so as to publish a piece on him in the Fleadh brochure. Offaly has a rich Traditional-Music Heritage and a multitude of All-Ireland champions since modern competitions began in Fleadhanna in the 1950s. However, our folklore is filled with records in the oral and written traditions of musicians dating back to the courts of our Gaelic Chieftains, our famed monastic settlements and music even has filtered through to us from the Celtic mists of ancient Ireland.
Due to the devastating famines of the 1840s and the following poverty in the 1860s and 70s when the people’s main motivation was pure survival, our musical heritage fell away among the general population. It fell to the immigrant classes to carry their music and song with them to the far-flung places where they could find work and sustenance.
Bernard Delaney of Killeigh was typical of these survivors. Unlike many of his fellow immigrants, he had a “magic wand” in his pocket in the form of a penny whistle and all the melodies that instrument could conjure up. Melodies that would provide his sorry Irish comrades with hope, joy, and the happier memories they may have associated with these tunes.
Following my meagre scraping of the surface in 2009, a hero emerged in the form of Seamus Kelly of County Kildare who dug deeper Delaney’s life. Then, with the backing of Attracta Brady; the soon-to-be Uachtarán of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, local researcher, Brendan Berry and Seamus’ own team of sleuths, the life of Bernard or Barney Delaney was uncovered. Before the launch of this delightful publication, few in Offaly or Killeigh would have known much of the life of the once-celebrated uilleann piper of Chicago and American fame. Now, it’s about time Barney was given the recognition he truly deserves. The following are a few snippets of background from Seamus Kelly.
Frank Kelly
The musicians at the Birr Historical Society event in January 2025.Courtesy Bantry Historical Society
Seamus:
Frank Kelly’s article in Treoir outlined some of Barney’s background and early life in Ireland. Without Frank Kelly, and his many Offaly contacts, my publication would not have seen the light of day. The support of Attracta Brady, now President of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann (CCE), was also crucial.
The Offaly Independent (18 September 1992 stated that Offaly has a tradition of excellence in music and added that ‘Offaly can also boast one of the great Irish pipers in Barney Delaney who was born in the Tullamore area about 1860…’. He was, in fact, born there in 1854.
The book was brought to fruition by three Kellys – Seamus, Frank and Michael. Michael Kelly and Brendan Berry’s pioneering work in following up on Delaney’s family in Ireland has made a real difference to our knowledge of the ‘Offaly piper’. An article by John Ennis in The Gael magazine (February 1902) also provided us with a wonderful photo of Delaney.
Francis O’Neill wrote in 1910 that he was delighted that Bernard Delaney brought himself and his tunes from Offaly ‘Here, indeed was a prize and what a repertory of unfamiliar tunes he had from Tullamore, his native place! Chief O’Neill, mentioned that Barney was from around Tullamore. Well, could we be more specific? Yes, we can.
Finding out that his father’s name was Patrick (from Bernard’s passport application in 1919) was a start. Frank Kelly’s article entitled ‘The Offaly-Chicago connection from Scrubb, Killeigh, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi’ (Treoir, 2009, 2020) tried to identify Barney Delaney’s birthplace. Brendan Berry was able to pinpoint Patrick Delaney’s plot to Meelaghans instead of Scrubb.
The Killeigh Co. Offaly Delaney connection was further confirmed by the excellent research of Michael Kelly. Aileen Saunders accessed the transcript of Bernard Delaney’s baptismal record. It informs us that Bernard was from the Parish of Killeigh, just south of Tullamore. The name was misspelt ‘Delay’ on this electronic record which was unhelpful. It gives us Bernard’s mother’s name as Eliza Dinn (possibly Elizabeth Dunne). It also gives the date of his baptism, in Killeigh, as the 25 May 1854.That date is reliable although it conflicts with other records. For example, in the 1900 US Census Barney gave his birth date as August 1852. His police record says he was born on 24 March 1854.
Bernard had a family of his own, in Offaly, before he emigrated to America in the early 1880s. Aileen Saunders noted from US Census records that Bernard Delaney had a daughter Elizabeth. Barney was around 20 years old when he married Mary Farrell on the 23rd October 1874. Bernard’s age was given as 20 while Mary was 24. They were married in Tullamore. Mary Farrell, from Tullamore, worked as a servant and was the daughter of Charles Farrell who was a carpenter. Bernard’s father Patrick had died before the wedding. Throughout this period (1876–1882) Bernard Delaney is described as a labourer. The children of Mary and Barney Delaney:
Thanks to Michael Kelly’s research we know when the Delaney children were born and when they died. Bernard and Mary lived in Charleville Road, Tullamore but mostly after that they were in Distillery Lane until at least May 1882. Their first child Patrick was born on 25 March 1875 at Charleville Road in Tullamore. Soon after they moved to Distillery Lane in Tullamore where most of the children were born. Second son John was born there on 6 September 1876. Their first daughter Mary arrived in April 1879 followed by Elizabeth on 2 July 1880. Their last child, Ellen was born in February 1880. Five children in five years!
Note: ‘The Tullamore Piper’ title is still accurate in the sense that he lived as a young married man in Tullamore though he was a native of and was baptised in Killeigh; RC parish. A tune in O’Neill’s Music of Ireland (1903) (Number 1773) is called The Tullamore piper. The title can only refer to one man!
Tragically, all of the Delaney children, except Elizabeth, died young between 1879 and 1882. Patrick died from typhoid fever on 1 March 1877, aged 2. Mary died (aged 1 year), John died (aged 6) and Ellen (aged 3 months). Barney’s wife Mary Farrell died from measles, pneumonia and heart disease in Tullamore Union Workhouse or the infirmary attached to it, on 21 May 1882, aged 30.
Their youngest child Ellen had died the day before. Mary died 8 days after her son John died from measles.
The family struggles must have been traumatic. Mary Delaney must have suffered terribly. The losses of his wife and four of his children must have taken its toll on Bernard. These very harsh family circumstances probably influenced his very rapid decision to emigrate, and may have impacted on him later in life.
The full publication is available in the Offaly Historical Society book shop on Bury Quay.
Frank Kelly
Venue for the Saturday lecture and music session, Bury Quay (beside New Aldi and Old Warehouse restaurant).
Published as part of the County Offaly 2025 Commemorative Programme with the support of Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
How often have we seen relatively small scale and cheap solutions deferred in the expectation that more ambitious longer-term projects will arrive at some future date to solve everything? Frequently the costs of the more grandiose schemes balloon over time and their implementation indefinitely deferred or even abandoned. Meanwhile the problem gets progressively worse – often to the point that any solution becomes unrealistic.
While the making of good long-term plans must always be pursued, the delivery of shorter term and achievable remedies should not be easily dismissed. Two high profile projects in the Tullamore area offer classic examples of the dilemma.
The Murals Bar Cultural life in 1950s Tullamore centred around ‘The Murals’ bar. This was where us local artists, actors, historians and writers drank, clutching our copies of ‘Ulysses’ in its concealing brown paper cover while engaging in fevered and sparkling debates on cubism, existentialism, atonality and Marxism.
I may be exaggerating somewhat, but ‘The Murals’ really was our Deux Magots, our Cafe de Flore. The bar was the meeting place of what passed for an intelligentsia in Tullamore at a time, which, though it is now regarded as restrictive and obscurantist, I remember as stimulating and progressive. Maybe I was lucky.
The attraction of ‘The Murals’ was its design which was quite unlike any of the more traditional pubs of the town which were usually small, dark and poky. With its high ceiling, stripped down design, timber veneering, bright red stools, it was cool and elegant and above all- modern.
Research by Angus Mitchell into the life and work of Alice Stopford Green (1847–1929), ‘the passionate historian’ as R.B. McDowell called her, brought Mitchell to Durrow, Tullamore, County Offaly in March 2024 to explore a monastic site that Green had visited in the company of the solicitor, antiquarian and nationalist, Francis Joseph Bigger (1863–1926) in September 1912. Green and Bigger would have shared cultural interests in the Celtic Revival. As the DIB contributor, Joseph McBrinn noted, Bigger saw his role as ‘promoting all things Irish including numerous processions, pageants, ceilidhs and feiseanna’. Angus Mitchell will be speaking on Durrow in 1914 at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore on Monday 24 March at 7 30 p.m. and you are welcome to attend. See his blog in this series earlier this week.
Today, 113 years on, the same story is playing out about Durrow and is ‘ongoing’ for the past 35 years. Now there is no access to Durrow high cross and neither is the public right of way to the site adhered to by the OPW and this after a spend of €5 million to protect and promote the monastic site.
offalyhistoryblog 