Archive 2008

2008 was a busy year for the society. Competitions, lectures, the annual trip away, the launch of this website, the purchase of a projector, the collection of old photographs and the regular monthly meetings made for a productive year.

The highlights included:

  • In May and June the society sponsored a historical competition for primary school children.
  • During Hertitage week the 2008 society president Ciarán Reilly delivered a lecture about the Historic Houses of Offaly.
  • Hundreds of old photogrphs of the area were collected and scanned
  • This website was launched in October.

In the summer of 2008 visits were made to Maynooth Castle, Russborough House in Blessington and Ballybryan near Rhode to view historical sites and items of interest.

During the autumn of 2008 four lectures were held; "Old Bill Heads from Edenderry" by Declan O'Connor, "The Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the First World War" by Séan Connolly, "Remote Sensing of Monastic Settlements in Co. Offaly" by Dr. Paul Gibson and "The Closing of Alesbury's Factory by Ciarán Reilly.

December Meeting - The Closing of Alesbury's Factory

A meeting of the society took place on 5th December, Ciaran Reilly gave a talk afterwards on the events which led to the closure of Alesbury's furniture factory 75 years ago and the attempts to get new employment in Edenderry.

November Meeting - Remote Sensing of Monastic Settlements in County Offaly - 14th November

A meeting of the society took place on November 14th, there was a lecture was entitled "Remote Sensing of Monastic Settlements in Co. Offaly" and was given by Dr. Paul Gibson who is a senior lecturer in the department of geography, NUI Maynooth. He spoke to the society about the remote sensing and Geophysics investigations that he has carried out on the monastic site of Clonard, Ballyboggan, Killeigh and Lemanaghan. This was a unique insight into the latest technology which allows a monastic site such as Clonard to be investigated without disrupting the soils and location.

October Meeting - Remembering Irish Soldiers - The Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the First World War

A meeting of the society took place on the 10th of October in the Quaker Meeting House. Many thanks to the Quakers for the use of the meeting house. Mr. Séan Connolly, Secretary of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association spoke to the society about the First World War and the involvement of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The town of Edenderry saw as many as eighty volunteers fight in WW1 and many including James Cassidy, James Carroll, Joseph Brennan, William Carroll, Joseph Wright and James Cullen fought in this battalion. Sean spoke about Ireland in 1914, recruitment and the major battles for the Royal Dublin Fusiliers such as Le Cateu, August 1914, Gallipoli April 1915, Loos April 1916, The Somme- July, September, November 1916, Messines 1917 and the Kaiser's Battle, March 1918. He also showed how these soldiers were treated upon their return to Ireland in the aftermath of the war.

September Meeting

A meeting of the society took place on the 12th of September. Society member Declan O’Connor will give a presentation of old bill heads, taking us through the streets of old Edenderry. Declan has carefully gathered and collected from numerous sources, old bill heads and shop invoices from Edenderry throughout the late 19th and 20th century. It was interesting to see the street names change and to see some of the history of Edenderry recorded in this way.

Notices

The primary school art competition has been completed, all three national schools in the area took part. The competition was for 3rd to 6th class pupils to either produce some artwork or an essay about Edenderry's history. The pictures and essay's have been judged the awards given to the pupils. The work was then displayed in the library. The awards ceremony for St. Mary's made it in The Topic (4th September page 11).

It is hoped to launch the society’s collection of photographs, ‘Edenderry in picture’ by April 2009.



Summer Events - The Historic Houses of County Offaly - 29th August

As part of National Heritage Week Ciarán Reilly delivered a lecture about the Historic Houses of Offaly, their rise and decline. The lecture showed images of many of these hidden treasures and focused on the history behind these houses, their owners and how they impacted the history of the county. Houses such as Birr Castle, Durrow Abbey, Strawberry Hill, Cangort Park, Rathmoyle, Monasteroris and Ballymorane were featured.

Summer Events - Tour by Ger and Paula Lalor

The society was also very kindly invited to a tour by Ger and Paula Lalor on the 24th of August, Ballybryan, Rhode where on their land have been found numerous items of early Christian cooking implements such as Fulacht Fia and other items of curiosity.

Summer Events - Russborough House - 17th August

On 17 August the society visited Russborough House, Blessington county Wicklow formerly the home of the Beit family which housed some very famous and expensive art.

Summer Events - Maynooth College - 13th July

On 13 July the society paid a visit to the Maynooth College grounds and nearby Maynooth College, once home to the Fitzgerald family, Earls of Kildare. The visit included a tour of the college chapel, visited by Pope John Paul in 1979; the castle and the chapel graveyard which includes the grave of noted historian Eoghan O’Growney.