Would you like an email reminder of Offaly Heritage Events?
If so, register with the Offaly heritage office.
See what archaeological, art and industry artefacts are in the National Museum of Ireland from Offaly
You can now download the archaeological, art and industry database of artefacts from Offaly in the National Museum of Ireland donated or on loan up to 2005. You can seach by townland, parish, barony, object, material, associated person, registration number, bog / river. There are 3329 archaeological artefacts detailed and 161 from the art and industry section.
New Release! The Wildflowers of Offaly by John Feehan
'A revelation of Offaly's wildflower beauty and diversity by one of Ireland's top ecologists and communicators of nature. His up-close-and-personal portraits give each plant a vivid and distinctive presence, aided by superlative illustrations - another landmark in books about our countryside.' Michael Viney
To see sample double spreads in the book see Bog Rosemary and Honeysuckle
Published by: Offaly County Council, 2009. Price: €40 RRP
Available From: Bookshops via Mercier Press. Currently in stock in Midlands Books, Balcony Books, Allways Outdoor Shop, Tullamore, in the Birr Castle Demesne shop or through the web. Free postage for the island of Ireland for web orders through www.mercierpress.ie. .
For more information click here
Offaly Naturalist's Field Club Programme
The 2010 programme will be finalised shortly. If you would like to be notified of the programme and heritage events email the heritage office.
Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) – Offaly Branch:
The Offaly Branch of IWAI are hosting a series of talks relating to the Offaly Waterways and the Grand Canal throughout 2010, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1960 formal termination of the Grand Canal as a trading route.
Monday 1st March 2010 at 8pm sharp in the Offaly Historical Society Premises, Bury Quay, Tullamore. The topic is the 2009 Grand Crew Project and the presenter is Mr Michael Slevin. Please see www.grandcrew.iwai.ie for info on last year’s project.
Michael’s talk will cover all aspects of the project from the original whiskey selection in Cooley’s Kilbeggan by the Irish Whiskey Society, the transportation of the Casks from the distillery via vintage truck, the travel along the Kilbeggan line by horse and cart, and the transfer of the casks onto the 107B Barge which transported the cask to Dublin. The trip east included a celebration with the former Canal Boatmen and then arrival of the casks in Dublin for the official welcome by Dublin's Lord Mayor on the 6th October 2009.
For more information contact Tim Meehan Hon Secretary – Offaly IWAI - 086 8045244
Offaly Archaeological and Historical Society, All talks at 8.00pm in Bury Quay, Tullamore.
Family History Course Spring 2010
Commencing on Thursday the 25th of February 2010 at OHAS, Bury Quay.
25 February 2010 The family history library and reference works - John Kearney and Margaret White- Mulligan
4 March 2010 The internet for family historians – Noel Guerin
11 March at 8p.m. Photographs for family history - Michael Byrne
18 March at 8p.m. Newspapers in Offaly Family History - Stephen McNeill
Register your interest now! Attendance will be confined to 25. Course charge €25 to include tea and coffee. Start time will be at 8 pm and to finish at 10 pm.
Edenderry Historical Society - All talks 8.00pm - Edenderry Parish Centre unless stated otherwise.
Camin O'Brien, The Castles of Offaly, Fri 12 March 2010 in Edenderry Parish Centre at 8pm
Dr Cormac Begadon, Radical priests in 18th and 19th Century Kildare, 16 April 2010 in Edenderry Parish Centre at 8pm.
Birr Historical Society - 8.00pm - Dooly's Hotel
Mon. 18 January 2010. Caimin O'Brien will discuss his current project on 'Field Names in County Offaly'. All are welcome , especially those who know some names of individual fields in the local landscape.
Slieve Bloom Walks
For a full programme of walks in the Slieve Blooms see www.slievebloom.ie
Heritage Week - Saturday 21st August to Sunday 29th August 2010
Heritage week is all about celebrating all aspects of our national and built heritage. If you would like to organise an event for 2010 contact the heritage office for help in planning and promoting the day.
Heritage Week in 2009 was a great success with some unique events and community groups and societies were joined by a number of private landowners opening up their properties too. It was a real celebration of the variety of work that is going on in the county. For a summary of last year's events click here. For the programme of events that was on in Offaly in 2009 see Offaly Heritage Week 2009
For the programme of events held nationally see see www.heritageweek.ie .