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Typescript of memoir titled ‘Do You Remember’. Recounts the life in Birr and covers the following subjects: soldiers from Birr returning from World War I (1918), the Treaty (1921), occupation of Free State Troops of ‘The Gorm' (the workhouse) in Birr (1922), burning of Crinkle Barracks (1922) and other reminiscences of life in Birr from 1930s to 1980s.

Correspondence (1963-70), mainly between Swayne and W. H. Milner, Portarlington, relating to a film made by Fr. Kennedy in 1921 ostensibly on the turf-cutting industry in the area, but also features the exhumation of skulls of the ‘Ballynowlart Martyrs’ who were purportedly burned alive in Ballynowlart church by English forces in the 1600s. Correspondence culminates in the deposit of the film in the National Library of Ireland.

Offaly Sinn Féin material: original resolution from North and South Offaly Executive Sinn Féin signed by Comd. Ua Duinn relating to its support of the Treaty (29 December 1921) and calling on Offaly’s representative Dr McCartan to vote for ratification, and a pamphlet entitled 'Terms of Reference 23 May 1922 Adjourned Árd-Fheis of Sinn Féin'.

Leaflets and other printed material relating to Croghan Feis organised by Offaly Vocational Education Committee (1949).
Manuscripts notes on placenames and history of Killeigh Parish and Philipstown (Daingean).

Publications: Programme for Walsh Island Second National Turf-cutting competition (1935); Knockbeg Centenary Year Book (1948); and Suncroft, a Parish Magazine (1970).

Collection of books, press cuttings, photographs, and memorabilia related to the Leinster Regiment at Birr Barracks, collected by Henry G. Farmer (1882-1965), son of Sergeant Henry G. Farmer, quarter-master, Leinster Regiment, Birr Barracks.

Documents relating to aspects of Moore's life in Banagher. Moore was involved in many committees in the town. These fall into two categories in this collection, namely improvements to the local economy and infrastructure and those that responded to outside events such as the First and Second World Wars. The improvement committees were Banagher Improvement Association/Committee (c.1899-1928), Banagher Fairs and Improvement Committee (1907-1928), Banagher Public Lighting Committee (1907-1912) and Banagher and Lusmagh Farmers Association (1929-1930). The other committees responded to WWI and WWII were The Garrycastle Relief Committee (1914-1915), the War and Pensions Committee (1917-1919) and the Parish Council (1941-c.1945).

Some other organisations mentioned are the Banagher Bicycle Association, the Gaelic League and the Banagher Sacred Heart Sodality which all proved extremely popular.

Newspaper cuttings, some mounted on card, with corresponding catalogue numbers, which were placed on display during An Tóstal exhibitions in Tullamore in 1953 and 1954:

1. 'Geashill Cauldron Given to Nation', Midland Tribune, 4 April 1954
   2.'The Lays of Tullamore'
2. 'Tony Molloy Wrote for Nation's Youth'
3. 'Kilcormac's Famous Missal - a historic manuscript'. By 'P.F.' Offaly Independent, 16 August 1952
4. 'The Famed Blue Ball - an incident of the Land War.' By 'P.F.'
5. 'Offaly's Fighting Story' - a series of articles on the War of Independence and Civil War published in the Offaly Independent in March 1954, by 'P.F.' Includes photocopied duplicates of same. Articles include 'The Ambush at Raheen', 'Attempted Ambush at Blue Ball', 'Mount Lucas Ambush' and 'the Fight for Freedom'.
6. 'We Sail the River Shannon - St Ciarán of Clonmacnois' by H. J. Rice.
7. 'Offaly's Twelve Baronies' by 'P.F.'

Informational documents or copies of original documents which were placed on display in the 1953 and 1954 An Tóstal exhibitions in Tullamore.

1. Rough sketch of a map of Clonmacnoise monastic site, 'The way of the Station at Clonmacnoise 3 1/2 hours'
2. List of 'Visitors to Clonmacnoise' extracted from the 'register', including Uachtarán na hÉireann Seán T. O'Kelly.
3. 'Rolla Ónóra 1798-1803' - a list of names of Contae Uíbh Fháilghe United Irishmen, compiled from British Army and Secret Service Sources in Dublin Castle by An tAth Seosamh Ó Muirthile, S.J.
4. Names and addresses of 'Offaly's Suspects' taken from E. J. Hoare's 'Legion of Honour', printed and published by John F. Fowler, Crow St., Dublin in 1883.
5. Four typescript transcripts of letters to Dr George A. Moorhead in relation to the inquest on John Manderville who died while imprisoned in Tullamore Gaol, 1887.
6. Fragmentary note mainly in relation to the rebellions of the 1640s.
7. Three page typescript 'The manufacture of Bricks - an old Offaly industry' by. 'P. F'
8. Calendar by Sáirséal agus Dill for 1953 with portraits of twelve Irish language writers. The September portrait 'Liam Ó Briain;' has an annotation by Hurley: 'Údar Cuimhní Cinn, a tháinig go dtí an Tulach Mhór 23 Aibreán 1916'
9. 'Description of a riot in Tullamore in 1808', extracted from Thomas Lalor Cooke's 'Early History of the Town of Birr'.
10. Outsize map 'Index to the Townland Survey of the King's County' published by Ordnance Survey in 1888. Annotated by Hurley with catalogue numbers relating to items on display in the exhibition.

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of felling notices and forestry at the Geashill Estate concerning purchase orders issued by J&L Goodbody Manufacturers, Clara to the Digby estate; the supply of 3000 stakes to the Office of Public Works, Tullamore; application for public liability insurance for the felling of trees on Geashill estate; application to the Department of Land under for Felling Licence; orders for timbers for parties including TP Kavanagh, WH Kearon and Benjamin Reid.

Includes letter from the Department of Industry and Commerce: " I am writing to appeal to you and all owner of woods to place substantial quantities of timber on sale at the earliest possible date. It is essential in the national interest that building activity should be resumed on an extensive scale without delay. From time to time during the past six years scarcity of building materials has brought building virtually to a standstill. As a result there are large arrears of housing and other important building work to be made good... Unless an effective start is made at this stage, opportunities may be lost that can never be recaptured. Skilled craftsmen now in Great Britain will not return if work is not found for them immediately. If they drift into regular employment abroad, they may be lost to this country for good. The major obstacle in the way of a large-scale resumption of building activity is the scarcity of timber. As you are aware, the country in the past depended on imported timber for practically all of its building needs. There seems to be no immediate prospect of the resumption of imports on the pre-war scale... What therefore I ask the owners of woodlands to do is to help the Industry to tide over this difficult period. this they can do by offering for sale immediately quantities of timber which they would not normally have put on the market until a later date. It is estimated that 15000 standards of good quality timber will suffice in the coming year to make the position of the industry reasonably secure for the future". (31 July 1945)

Includes letter from Department of Lands: "With reference to your letter dated 20th inst. regarding Lord Digby's Estate, I am to state that Felling Notices must be lodged by or on behalf of the owner of the lands on which the trees stand at the Garda Station nearest the trees. If the Department are prepared to grant a Felling Licence they will grant it to the owner of the lands and the owner will be liable for any replanting condition which may be imposed in the Licence." (27 April 1951).

Includes copy letter to John Dunne: "Referring to previous correspondence herein, and your various suggestions of purchasing Spy Hill Wood, Lord Digby instructs us to tell you that after considering the matter very carefully he has come to the definite policy of not selling any more woods on the Estate for various reasons including certain taxation problems. If he was selling woods he would have given you every consideration" (31 July 1951).

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of Glenamoy Estate, Ballina, Co. Mayo under James Boland Esq. Matters referred to include the securing of salmon and gun licences for Lord Digby; letter from the Department of Lands and Fisheries requesting the total amount of Salmon and sea-trout captured by anglers on waters owned or leased by Lord Digby; payment of fishery rates; invoices from Geo N Walshes, Motor Engineer; AGM notice for the Salmon Fisheries Protection Association; the retirement of James Boland in November 1946 and arrangements for the re-letting of Bunowa Lodge.

Includes letter to Lord Digby: "Many thanks for the Ration Card, also Petrol Coupons, and I shall try to have the equivalent for them for you when you come again. It is impossible to say what the possibilities of second-hand cars here will be until we see what happens to the Petrol Ration. So far there has been no announcement and the October, November and December Coupons have already been issued. I will bear in mind what you say, and also have the question of your membership of the Irish Automobile Association... I was very interested and amazed to read your story about the whale, and so was Kenneth, and I think you were extremely lucky to live to tell the tale, and that the boat was not turned over. I agree that it is a great fishing story, and that even though it is literally true it will be extremely difficult to get anyone to believe it especially on your side of the water, but it will certainly make history in the Glennamoy Area. By the way although your Annual Account is made out in draft and is just about to be sent off for binding I anticipate some delay as I find that all such jobs as binding and printing etc seem to take much longer than usual at present, but you will understand that the matter is in hand, and if there is delay that nothing has gone wrong. I failed to get the County Council here to increase their offer of £40 per statute acre for the Housing site at Geashill, and as they said they did not propose to disturb the grazing letting, which expires on the 1st March next, I could not cut any ice on that point". (29 September 1947)

Box of in-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘A’ and ‘C’, including correspondence about Sir Nesbitt Armstrong’s trusts, and letters from James Callaghan (a thatcher employed by the Rosse estate), from the ‘Chief of Staff, January 1923’ about the occupation of Birr Castle by the Free State Army, from W. Y. Chisholm (manager of the Rosse sawmill [see Q/327]), from Miss Edith A. Cramer, [see M/18], from Messrs Coutts & Co., etc.

Includes: Letter from Padraig Ua Maolchatha, Col. Comdt., G. O. C. 3rd Southern Command, Roscrea: I am directed by the Chief of General Staff to inform you that it will not be possible to evacuate any portion of the premises occupied by the troops before Christmas. I am at present unable to give you any idea when we may be able to evacuate Birr Castle but assure you that we will not occupy it any longer than necessary. I regret being unable to facilitate Lord Rosse’s family in this matter but trust that the owner will appreciate the circumstances which force us to remain in occupation.’ (4 December 1922)

Includes letter from Capt. F. O’Brien for the Chief of General Staff, Dublin, to Toler Garvey: ‘I have been in communication with the General Officer Commanding of the Area who informs me that we was aware of game being shot on the Rosse Estate, but did not prevent it, as he was not aware that the game was preserved.’ (8 January 1923)

‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’ and ‘T’ - including letters from the Hon. Geoffrey L. Parsons, in Basingstoke, relating to the affairs of Birr Castle Demesne, during the period in which he acted on behalf of the sixth earl in his minority (1918-1924). Also includes letters from members of the Pigott family [see V/24], Mrs Manning Robertson, the 5th and 6th Earls of Rosse, J.H. Tyler (the Womersley agent [see H/117]), etc, etc.