Croghan, County Offaly - a new publication by John Feehan - launched Friday 16th December 2011
This new publication was launched on Friday 16th December in Croghan Community Centre by Pat Gallagher, County Manager. It is A3, hardback and it is highly illustrated. John's clear narration describes the evolution of Croghan hill and the wider landscape setting. Published by Offaly County Council in association with UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, it is €30.00 and available from the following shops
- Croghan Mini Market
- Quinns Centra and Scullys in Daingean
- Killeens in Rhode
- Midland Books, High Street, Tullamore
- Offaly Archaeological and Historical Society, Bury Quay Tullamore
Alternatively post a cheque for €30.00 made out to Offaly County Council attn: Heritage Office, Offaly County Council, Charleville Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly for delivery within Ireland.
Kinnitty - My Home in the Slieve Blooms by Paddy Lowry
This important book of Paddy's stories and memories was launched on Wednesday 23rd November 2011 and is selling for €15.00 in Peavoys and Clears in Kinnitty, Heffernans and Doolands in Kilcormac, Grennans in Rath and Midland Books and Balcony Books in Tullamore.
Offaly Annual Heritage Seminar 2011
Download Full programme.
The 10th annual Offaly Heritage Seminar was held on the 18th and 19th November. There was a crowd of over 80 gathered in St Mary’s National School for the Friday evening session hosted by the Edenderry Historical Society which saw the launch of the third Heritage Plan for Offaly. This was launched by Michael Starrett CEO of the Heritage Council based in Kilkenny.
A highlight of the Friday evening was the presentation of the story of attempted mining of lead and silver at Blundell Hill, Edenderry. This research was carried out by Dr Martin Critchley and Dr Sharon Schwartz who had come to inspect an opening in Blundell Park in the first week of October. They said they were initially skeptical about the possibility of a mine shaft as there have been no mines recorded for Offaly up until now. However what they found was indeed a mine shaft and led them to carry out research about the successive Marquis of Downshires’ interest in looking for lead and silver sporadically from the period 1760 to 1860.
Rachel McKenna’s presentation about the Engage with Architecture project highlighted the importance of working creatively in these challenging times and the benefits of holding a range of talks and school and community workshops – she was pleased to announce that this project has secured funding for 2012.
Saturday morning saw torrential rain that did not deter 35 people travelling to hear all about Gallen Monastic Site at Ferbane from archaeologist Caimin O’Brien. Offaly County Council has continued its programme of 3d laser scanning to record over 150 carved stones at Gallen and another 15 at Lemanaghan. These will be on line by the end of 2011. Caimin discussed the unusual aspect of having an early church with a vast number of burials and then it being replaced in the 1600s about 200 meters away with an Augustinian church where the current graveyard is. The headstones here have exceptional carvings and there is some superb iron detailing on surrounds.
The alternative field trip was hosted by the Clara Bog visitor centre run by the NPWS which just opened last spring. Mary Healy, Head Guide, laid on a super morning of talks by the wildlife rangers, Noel Bugler and Colm Malone who talked about the work of the ranger and Kieran Buckley came in to talk about the grey partridge project which has received so much national attention this autumn. Mary profiled the education and community projects the centre started this year. This is a great addition to the range of activities in Offaly and was recognized when Clara Bog Visitor Centre won the 'Best Children's Event' in the Heritage Council National Heritage Week Awards for their Mini Ranger Day
All convened back in the Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society in Tullamore for the afternoon session which commenced with Andy Halpin Assistant Keeper from the National Museum of Ireland talking about recent archaeological finds in Offaly. This was prompted by Joe Clancy’s find of bog butter this spring. While the radiocarbon date is still to come Andy estimates this find of bog butter to be about 2000 years old. Like the Fadden Mor Psalter which was found in Birr Parish, it was critically important to keep the bog butter and its cask covered in damp bog to conserve it until the conservation department from the museum took over. He also showed images of other recent finds, a leather bag from Cushina, date 776-952 AD found in 2010, a leather shoe from Derrinlough, found by Jane Bulfin who was in the audience, the range of finds at the Broze Age Settlement at Clonfinlough, stone ‘battleaxes’ from Garryhinch, and a stone adzehead from 4,000 to 2,000 BC found in 2003 and a stone axehead from Tubbred in 2002. And of course Old Croghan Man found in 2003 which is now part of a major exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland. Andy said that there is a good tradition of reporting finds in Offaly and emphasized the importance of contacting the museum as soon as the find is made in order to conserve the item and get information about the site of the find. He did say there has been some metal detecting activity which is illegal and to be aware of this.
The following session was a presentation by the pupils of St Kieran’s National School in Broughall. Rosemary Feeney who works in the school had heard about the Placename recording idea at the Hertiage seminar in 2009. She brought the idea back to the school where it was enthusiastically taken up by the Principal Ester Lambe and the students. Pupils Anna, John, Chelsea, Aine, Grainne won the audience’s hearts with their research and presentation of field names and stories they have gathered – all about Soldier’s hill, Plum Tree Field, the Screeching Valley, Bannon’s Field, the Tobacco Field, Reilig Field, the Fruitful corner. The project led onto being the inspiration for the float for the St Patrick’s Day parade and has also influenced the community music project which is being featured next Sunday in Kilcormac.
John Feehan provided the concluding talkwhich was an insight into the wonderful book he has written about the Croghan area. This will be launched in Croghan Community Centre on 16th December. Croghan is an area many visit and enjoy in the landscape but John has provided a highly illustrated book showing how the area came to be formed 100s of millions of years ago, and its subsequent human story. A highlight is Slieve Bloom artist , Jock Nicol’s reconstruction drawing of the Croghan volcano erupting. The book will be available from the 16th in local shops and is very good value at €30.00.
Offaly Heritage Plan 2012-2016
The third Offaly Heritage Plan (2012-2016)was adopted at the October Council Council meeting on Monday 17th October. It was launched by Michael Starrett CEO of the Heritage Council at the Annual seminar on the weekend of 18th/19th November 2011.
Offaly Naturalist's Field Club Programme
There has been a great line up of events for 2011. Many thanks to all of the leaders who have put on events. Download the 2011 Offaly Naturalist's Field Club programme. The programme for 2012 will be posted in the New Year.
Offaly Dippers in the Headlines - see article on Offaly Dippers by Alex Copland.
Irish Geological Association sponsored Geology Evening course in Portlaoise
Starting in September there will be a course for 2 hours once a week for 20 weeks + 2 field trips. The cost of the course is EUR175 for course (excl. field trip expenses). For more info, contact Michele at 087 69 68 600 or e-mail: iga-portlaoise@mail.com
Heritage Week 2011
2011 saw the busiest heritage week to date in Offaly. Download the Offaly Heritage Week brochure here. Have a look at www.heritageweek.ie to see what was happening nationally. The feedback says that the three main reasons for attending are
- to see sites that are not always accessible
- to see familiar sites but people have not known what to look for
- to see them with an informed guide or group sharing their knowledge
For a profile of the Saturday tour of Harry Clarke and his studios see the Harry Clarke Irish Times slide show
Would you like an email reminder of Offaly Heritage Events?
If so, register with the Offaly heritage office.
President Obama and Moneygall
Click here to download the information panel about the Moneygall Obama connection which is in Moneygall (11MB)
3D Modelling and Virtual Gallery of Selected Carved Stone and Buildings in Offaly
See Download 3d scans of Offaly's carved stone and structures.
Clara Bog Visitor Centre Opens
Clara Bog is well known for its raised bog. The Clara Bog Visitor centre opened in March 2011 until the 1st December 2011. It is planned to reopen in March 2012. Admission is free. It shares the site with Clara library and is opposite the swimming pool on the Ferbane road. More information is available from Claraguides@environ.ie or on the Clara Bog facebook page.
Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society 2011 Programme
All talks are hosted in the OHAS premises in Bury Quay, Tullamore unless stated. For more details email info@offalyhistory.com
Forthcoming lectures in 2012
23rd January 2012 Mary Delany on ‘William Steuart Trench and Improvements on the Digby Estate, 1856-1871’.
20 February 2012 Dr Terry Dooly of Maynooth on The Country House in the 21st century
April 2012 Michael Goodbody on Robert Goodbody.
21 November 2012 Dr Ronan Foley, 'Creating Urban History: Old Sources, New Methods'
Forthcoming courses in 2012 - The Irish Revolution and Offaly, 1916-23.
Philip McConway of Tullamore, who has lately qualified for a PhD in History in Trinity College, Dublin has agreed to provide four lectures on the Anglo-Irish War and the Civil War, the Irish Revolution, as it affected County Offaly. For those of us who got no opportunity to study this period in school not to mention the story in County Offaly this represents a great opportunity to inform yourself of a pivotal moment in our history.
The lectures will be held at 8pm at Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay Tullamore on the four Thursdays in February as follows:
(1) 2 2 2012 Offaly and the 1916 Rising;
(2) 9 2 2012 The Impact of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on Offaly;
(3) 16 2 2012 Offaly Political Prisoners 1918-23;
(4) 23 2 2012 The RIC, Unionists and Loyalists in Offaly 1919-23.
Admission to the course of lectures is €20 per person to include tea/coffee at the interval. Attendance at just one lecture is €7 per person.
Family History Course Spring 2012
After successful courses last year and in 2011 we propose to have a third family history course this year to commence on Thursday 1 March 2012 at OHAS, Bury Quay, with the subject matters to be as follows:-
1 March 2012 The family history library and reference works, John Kearney and Margaret White- Mulligan
8 March 2012 The internet for family historians – Noel Guerin
15 March at 8p.m. 2012 Maps for the family historian – Niall Sweeney
22 March at 8p.m. 2012 Newspapers and Offaly Family History, Stephen McNeill
31 March at 11 am. 2012 Sources for family history at Offaly County Library- Michael Byrne
Please register your interest now. Attendance will be confined to 25 and the course charge must be the cheapest available at €25 to include tea and coffee. Start time will be at 8 pm and to finish at 10 pm. All talks will be illustrated with pictures.
Edenderry Historical Society - 2011 Lectures & Tours
(All talks will take place at 7.45pm in the Parish Centre)
9th December: ‘The 1798 rebellion and the Battle of Rathangan’ by Mario Corrigan
Slieve Bloom Walks
For a full programme of walks in the Slieve Blooms see www.slievebloom.ie