The recently announced sale on 11 March 2025 by Noonans of Mayfair of the Jutland medals of Tullamore man Arthur Craig (assumed Waller in 1920 on inheritance) is a reminder of the fact that despite being an inland county Offaly (King’s County up to 1920) has a significant association with the Royal Navy through the celebrated achievements of Birr-born Charles Parsons (1854–1951), of Dreadnought fame; Birr-born Sir Frederick Charles Dreyer (1878–1956), the expert in naval gunnery; and Tullamore-born Alexander Percival McMullen (1885–1916) who was killed at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The Birr men could have lost the war in an afternoon! Both McMullen and Craig were associated with St Catherine’s, Tullamore – the first of an old Tullamore family who emigrated to Canada in 1910, and Craig as a son of the rector of the parish from 1869 to 1902. His brother succeeded in 1902 and was parish rector up to his death in 1929.
(more…)Category: Naval history
-
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
(more…)
-
Marking the Wonderful World and Tragic Death of Mary Ward on the 150th anniversary of Ireland’s first recorded road fatality in Birr in 1869.Blog No 149, 24th August 2019
How many people have died in road fatalities since the first to occur in Ireland at Birr in county Offaly (then known as King’s County) on 31 August 1869, just 150 years ago next week? Few of us have not been touched by some sad incident involving collision with a motor vehicle. That in Birr involved a steam-powered carriage possibly constructed by the fourth earl of Rosse, a brother of Charles Parsons, later famous for his steam turbine. Perhaps the making of the engine was the work of the two brothers. The fatal accident occured at the corner of Oxmantown Mall and the junction with Cumberland/Emmet Street near the church and close close to where the theatre is today. It was here that the young Mary Ward, then aged 42, a woman of talent and a mother of a large family (11 pregnancies), was killed on the last day of August 150 years ago.
-
Admiral Sir Henry D’Esterre Darby of Leap Castle, County Offaly: the naval adventures of an Offaly man and hero at the Battle of the Nile, by Noel Guerin. Blog No 70, 24 Feb 2018
Henry D’Esterre Darby born 9 April 1749 was the third son of Jonathan and Susannah Darby of Leap castle. The D’Esterre name he inherited from his great grandmother, Anna-Maria D’Esterre.
The Darby family was first recorded at Leap Castle in 1659 and his father Jonathan was the third Jonathan to own Leap Castle and a large estate. Susannah Lovett was the daughter of Robert Lovett of Dromoyle and Liscombe House, Buckingham. She was the niece of the architect, who was dead before the marriage, but this Jonathan was one who did neo-Gothic alterations to Leap Castle in 1753. He was known as Counselor Darby. Jonathan Darby died 16 Mar 1776 in Great Ship Street Dublin and was buried at Leap. (more…)
offalyhistoryblog 