About The Society

 

Earliest History

About 120 AD Cathair Mór. King of Leinster, became powerful enough to be designated Ard-Rí Éireann by the four masters in the annals. He had ten sons, the eldest Ros Fáilghe (“of the rings”) was given the territory of North Offaly which became known as Uí Fáilighe in later times and from which the name Offaly derives.

The O’Connor sept is descended from Ros, they ruled all or part of Offaly up until the late 16th century. Offaly was divided into 7 “tríocha céad” or districts. Each district had it’s own sub-chief, the area that includes modern day Edenderry was called Tuatha-dá-Muighe, the territory of the two plains, which was the patrimonial inheritance of the O’Mulkenes. The name of the area gradually became corrupted until it was known as Tethmoy.



Ballykilleen Fort

This is the oldest structure extant in the Edenderry area. (To get to it head out of Edenderry on Tullamore road and turn left at Ballyfore crossroads towards the power station).

It is a triple-banked hill-fort dating from the early (Irish) iron-age, about 400 BC. There is a central platform area which is surrounded by deep fosses, which in turn are surrounded by the three earthen banks. Fences would have been erected on the banks. The living area is 30m across and the whole structure is 120m around.

The hill is 350m above sea-level and gives good views of the surrounding area, it also acts as a wind-break for the living area of the fort. In the 1850s and 60s many items of Bronze and Stone Age interest were uncovered in digs under the guidance of Thomas R Murray, agent of the marquis of Downshire. These items along with other local curiosities were sold by Murray to Cambridge University in 1900, where they are still held.