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Offaly County Council Heritage Office Agriculture
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Title Page

The border of the title page contains illustrations of the prize cottages at Killeigh and a map of the drainage plan at Ballyknockan. Also includes representations of the two gold medals awarded to Lord Digby by the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, the Challenge Cup awarded for best housing and the Challenge Cup awarded for best drainage.

Annual Report 1908

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1908, showing a slightly reduced gross rental. Reports on the general 'lawlessness' throughout the country in the form of cattle driving, boycotting and malicious injuries, but is pleased to note that the Geashill estate has been free of such incidents.

Also reports that the purchase negotiations with the tenants have been agreed and the tenanted lands in King's County and Queen's County are now to be sold under the premise of the Land Purchase Act of 1903. Warns however that due to the insufficiency of funds from the government, it will be some years before the purchase money and bonds can be paid to Lord Digby and the holdings vested in the tenants.

Annual Report 1891

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1891, showing a further decrease in overall rental income and arrears remaining unchanged. Expenditure on forestry only with some acres at Clonad, cleared, drained and replanted. Digby reports that the overall condition of the estate is 'most satisfactory' and that 'the traces of agitation which recently distracted the country have, owing to Mr. Balfour's fearless administration, improved agricultural conditions and the split in the Nationalist camp, almost entirely disappeared.'

Annual Report 1858

First full report submitted by the Trenchs to Lord Digby. Contains a detailed examination of the 'compensation fund' granted by George Wingfield Digby to the leaseholders to indemnify them for the loss of their several leases, which had been illegally granted to them by the previous earl and which the current earl would like to break. Also includes a memorandum describing in great detail, the meeting between Trench and the leaseholders, to discuss the terms of the compensation. Also includes report on the 'mesne' or first-year rates with a full list of the tenants. Also includes 'sundry observations' on the management of the estate 'during the difficult & trying period of our first year of office.' Describes how the 'tenants-at-will' were invited to settle arrears and there was 'a vast amount of dissatisfaction amongst the tenantry.' W. S. Trench describes the discovery of an assassination plot to murder one or other of the Trenchs is underfoot, leading T. W. Trench to travel over the estate accompanied by a policeman and the estate bailiff, with a loaded gun in his hand. Also discusses the commencement of the construction of new labourers cottages; the building of a new estate office adjoining the church; the drainage of the bogs; and a report on emigration from the estate.

Annual Report 1874

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1874, containing a positive report on the financial condition of the estate with an increase in the overall rental income. Expenditure consisted of further land improvements including drainage works in Roskeen, Killarles, Cappyroe and Clonmore. A drain was sunk at Meelaghans and Cloncon which serves as a boundary between the Geashill and Charleville Estates and report notes that Lord Charleville has undertaken to pay half the cost of the drain. Construction of a new farmhouse for Mr Riddell of Annagharvey cost £514.19.6.

Report also discusses the introduction of concrete works as a construction method due to the difficulty in sourcing masons, many of which have emigrated. Also notes that the forester has had to be replaced as Mr McIntosh had emigrated to California. New plantations were established at Cappyroe and the Meelaghans.

Despite the eviction of Mr. Connolly of Clunagh who was in occupation of a farm in Clonad, overall agitation on the estate dissipated after the death of the former parish priest, and Digby describes his successor as 'a bright exception amongst Irish priests.'

Annual Report 1909

Annual report, accounts and rental for the year ending 1909, in which Digby describes the great state of transition in which the estate now finds itself. Reports that income has been received partly in the form of rent and partly in lieu of rent on the amount of the purchase money for the tenants holdings, with interest collected by the Land Commission. Also reports that the purchase transactions in both King's and Queen's Counties were brought to a conclusion with very little friction, the tenant purchasers having paid the installments of interest to the Land Commission in a satisfactory manner. Purchase agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners on behalf of all but 16 tenants who refused to enter into an agreement and will continue to pay rent. Also reports that the high red bogs were vested in Trustees appointed by the tenants for the benefit of the tenant purchasers, subject to the reservation of sporting rights by Lord Digby.

Annual Report 1910

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1910, in which Digby reports that rents payable by tenant purchasers to the Land Commission have been satisfactorily met with only one defaulter, and that the rents of those who refused to sign purchase agreements have also been paid punctually. Also notes that the grasslands which have for several years been in Lord Digby's occupation have been let at satisfactory rents to solvent and respectable tenants and reports that there were none of the difficulties 'which have recently attended the letting of grasslands in so many parts of this county and in Ireland generally.'

Annual Report 1912

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1912, showing that rents remaining payable and interest in lieu of rents payable to the Land Commission have been satisfactorily paid. Notes, however, that several years will elapse before the purchase money can be received.

Annual Report 1913

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1913, showing rents payable and interest in lieu of rents payable to the Land Commission were satisfactorily paid.

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