County Longford Historical Society will host a lecture by Dr Mel Farrell on the 1923 general election on Tuesday, 15 August, at 7.30 pm in Longford Library. The general election of August 1923 was the first to take place after the Civil War and Dr Farrell will explore its national and local significance. A native of Ardagh, Dr Farrell lectures in Carlow College, St Patrick’s, and is an expert on the Irish Free State. The lecture is part of the Heritage Week Programme.
Outing on Saturday, 26 August
The society’s next tour is on Saturday, 26 August, to the Cavan County Museum and the Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre, Granard. Departure will be from the Market Square, Longford town at 9.00 am. The Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff is spread over three floors with a lift facility. Outdoors, there is a 1916 exhibition, plus Battle of the Somme panels and a recreation of World War I trenches in the garden. The visit will be followed by refreshments.
The next stop is the Knights and Conquest Heritage Centre, Granard, which provides insights into the history of the near-by motte-and-bailey castle. The visit will be followed by a meal in the Bailey Restaurant adjacent to the centre. The return to Longford town will be at 6.00 pm approx.
Please book with John McGagh, Tours Organiser, 087 6684791, as soon as possible.
Death of Aidan O’Hara
There was great sadness as society members and people in Longford learned of the death of Aidan O’Hara, Clonbalt Woods, Longford, on 11 June, after a long illness. Aidan and his wife, Joyce, moved to Longford in 2004 and quickly became involved in local life. Aidan was a committee member of the society and served as a vice-chairman for several years.
Aidan was an eminent broadcaster, writer and historian, with deep knowledge of the Irish language, music, folklore and local history. He gave several lectures and contributed articles to Teathbha. He championed the life and work of Padraic Colum and was a prime mover in the establishment of the annual Padraic Colum Gathering. An abiding interest of his was the Irish in North America. His work on the Irish community in Newfoundland for RTÉ is well-known. In February of this year, he fulfilled a long-held ambition by launching his book, entitled A Damn Yankee, am I? Thanks! Portraits of the Irish in the era of the American Civil War.
Our deepest sympathy to Joyce, their daughter, Katheen, sons Seán, Brian and Conor, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, six grandchildren and wider family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
2020 edition of Teathbha
The 2020 edition of Teathbha is now available throughout the county and on this website. It is a great read and will make an ideal Christmas present for anyone interested in local history.
Have you ever wondered what a charter school was? Would you like to know more about the medieval lordship of Annaly? Who was Dr Vincent Delany? The journal will tell you all, and much more. You can learn about the Latin School in Moyne, the Moxham family and Madame Francoise Edgeworth. There are two stories of Longford men in conflicts of different periods: the American Civil War and our own War of Independence. Given that this is a year of major centenaries, you can read about the Battle of Ballinalee and the burning of Granard. There are also many other interesting contributions including poetry and a glossary of useful terms for the local historian.
The journal can be bought from the following outlets:
Longford town: Pat Mollaghan’s, Dublin Street; O’Reilly Insurance, Dublin Street; Farrell Coy, Centenary Square; Newsround, Ballymahon Street; Trappe’s Newsagent, Main Street; and Beirne’s Filling Station, Battery Road.
Ballymahon: Centra Filling Station (Finn’s); Super Valu (Smyth’s); Nally’s Spar.
Edgeworthstown: Quinn’s Hardware
Granard: Quinn’s Hardware and Donoghue’s
Lanesborough: Joe O’Brien’s Shop
Drumlish: Kane’s and Centra
Ballinalee: Fr Tom Murray PP
Newtownforbes: Bell’s Shop and Centra
Kenagh: O’Boyle’s Shop
Ardagh: Lyons’s Shop
Legan: Whyte’s Supermarket
Moyne: Corrigan’s Store
Killoe: Kiernan’s Forge and Hughes’s Shop
Lecture on ringforts CANCELLED
County Longford Historical Society’s next lecture, planned for Thursday, 19 March, has been cancelled.
Lecture on Fenian poet ‘Leo’ Casey, 7 May 2019
As part of ‘Literary Month’ (May), which is being run by Creative Ireland Longford, County Longford Historical Society is sponsoring a lecture entitled ‘The life and work of John Keegan ‘Leo’ Casey’ by historian and author Gearoid O’Brien. The lecture takes place in Ballymahon Library on Tuesday, 7 May at 7.30 pm and all are welcome. The replica of the ‘Leo Casey Banner’, used by the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Kenagh, will be on display on the evening.
Lecture on local elections and councils, 10 April 2019
Committee member Kitty Hughes will give a lecture entitled ‘The first local elections and councils in County Longford, 1899’ in Longford Library on 10 April at 7.30 pm. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the local authority system that included county councils, rural district councils and urban district councils. Kitty has done extensive research into the subject in Longford and the lecture promises to be most interesting and informative.
Lecture and exhibition on Saints’ Island manuscripts, 6 March 2019
Longford County Library, Heritage and Archives Services and County Longford Historical Society will jointly host a lecture and the opening of an exhibition on the Annals written in Saints’ Island Priory in Longford Library on Wednesday, 6 March. Prof. Pádraig Ó Riain, Emeritus Professor of Early and Medieval Irish in UCC will speak on ‘Saints’ Island and Abbeyderg Priories and their manuscripts’, with special emphasis on the Annals written on Saints’ Island covering the period 1392-1407.
Prof. Ó Riain will also open an exhibition on the subject, which includes images of the Annals, which are held in the Bodleian Library, Oxford University. County Longford historical Society bought the images from the library last year and the exhibition will allow local people to view this unique part of Longford’s cultural heritage. The Annals were written mostly by a priest named Augustine Magraidhin, who died in 1405 and contain important information on local events and those further afield.
LONGFORD HISTORICAL LECTURES 2016
Our next lecture “The legacy of the early Irish Monks” by Fred Carney will take place on March 3rd 2016 at 8.00 pm in St Mel’s Collage, Longford.