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Geashill (Bar.) War of Independence
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An Tóstal - newspaper articles for display

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.'

Annual Report 1919

Report for year ending June 1919 outlining a remittance of £10,250 to Lord Digby, the increased amount being ascribed to revenue derived from the woods, particularly mature Scotch pine from Clonad Wood to a firm of match-makers. Remarks that although Ireland ‘remains in a disturbed an unsatisfactory condition this immediate neighbourhood has been very free from agitation and outrage and from a continuance of high prices for all agricultural produce and abundant crops, the Irish farmer is enjoying an era of unprecedented prosperity.’

Annual Report 1920

Annual report addressed to the 11th Baron Digby following the death of his predecessor. Goodbody reports that £7000 has been remitted and briefs the new Lord Digby on the state of Ireland during the War of Independence: 'Ireland continues in a disturbed and unsatisfactory condition. This neighbourhood has not escaped the general destruction of Constabulary barracks, the only three barracks on your estate having been maliciously and wantonly burnt and wrecked, those of Clonmore being wholly destroyed and of Geashill & Killeigh partially so. The police authorities having vacated them prior to their destruction have since surrendered same, with a consequent loss of future rental. Claims for compensation have been lodged for substantial amounts and are still pending.'

Goodbody, Lewis

Autograph book of John Lennon/Maggie B. Corcoran

  • IE OCL P29
  • Fonds
  • 1921-1924

The autograph book originally belonged to John Lennon, of Killeenmore, Killeigh, and Harbour St, Tullamore. He was an internee of the Rath Internment Camp at the Curragh (1921) and later of Tintown Camp (1923). The album contains many Laois/Offaly signatories such as E. Forrestal, Tullamore (Rath); Bob Lennon, Killeigh (Rath); Frank Bulfin TD, Derrinlough, Birr (Rath); Seaghan Ó Dulchaointigh, Crinkle, Birr (Rath); J. G. Ross, Killeigh (Rath); Patrick J. Daly, Tullamore (Hut 31, Rath), Jimmie Egan, Henry Street, Tullamore (Hut 25, Rath), Denis Walsh, Tullamore (Hut 40, Rath); Séamus O’Faolain (Hut 12 Camp 3 Tintown), Patrick Boland, Ballycumber, (Camp 3 Tintown), Walter A. Mitchell (Camp 2 Tintown); Edward Dunne, Clonaslee (Camp 2, Tintown), Sean McGuinness TD, Kilbeggan, and P. Bracken, Clonaslee (Hut 12 Tintown). Later non-political entries dating from c. 1927 are by Maggie Corcoran (later Lennon) and her relatives and friends.

Lennon, John

Minute Book 1919-1921

Soft bound minute book of the King’s County Infirmary board of management meetings. Minutes consist of an overview of tenders for supplies, statements of account and building repairs and maintenance. Records decisions regarding the hiring and managing of staff, fees for patients, and transcription of correspondence. The board were often concerned with funding, establishing an ‘Improvement Fund Collection’, received funds from the Tuberculosis Scheme Grant and through Lady Rosse (later, Viscountess de Vesci) petitioned for a grant from the Joint War Committee for the hospital which they received in August 1920.

Meetings between January and August 1921 discuss the possible and eventual closure of the County Infirmary and the amalgamation of the institution with the Central Hospital which was formally the Union Hospital.

Prominent members of board include, Rev. W Phelan (Chairman June 1921), Rev J. Flynn (Vice-Chairman June 1921), R.S. Craig, Rev PJ Egan, Rev Philip Callery, J.M Russell, J.A Lumley, and Rev John Humphries.

It was noted in October 1920, that Fr Thomas Burbage, a noted Republican and a member of the Board had a lucky escape after being shot at by the military on his journey between Tullamore and Geashill by motor bicycle.

King's County Infirmary

Papers of Fr. Swayne

  • IE OCL P69
  • Fonds
  • 1921-1970

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).

Swayne, Peadar, Fr.