Jim Kenny Offaly History Recordings 1990-2002

Midlands 103

Podcast featuring Dr Paul Hughes discussing the decline of police authority in Tullamore after 1916; IRA activity in the late phase of the War of Independence in Offaly; Republican policing in Offaly 1920-1921, particularly relating to Tullamore; and the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Westmeath's Laurence Ginnell in Argentina as  a Dail envoy.

Offaly In The Decade Of Centenaries, Episode 1: Dr Paul Hughes

Interview with Joe Kenny recorded by Aidan Barry in 2010.
Joe talks about growing up in Mayo, his teaching life in the Vocational School in Tullamore, and his interest in Drama and Local Radio

Joe Kenny - Tullamore Vocational School

Interview with Shaun Wrafter (June 2024).  Phil talks about his childhood in 1930's Tullamore, his success at Gaelic Football, the shops in Harbour Street and his home and family in Tullamore.
Recorded by Aidan Barry

Phil O'Reilly Undertaker, Tullamore

Interview recorded by Aidan Barry in February 2011.  Stephen recalls his childhood in Cork, his life as a bank clerk in various towns around Ireland, settling in Tullamore, his love of sports, his involvement with Offaly History and his devotion to his family and his faith.

Stephen McNeill

Interview with John Flanagan in Offaly History by Aidan Barry

John Flanagan

Offaly History interview with Fr. Sean Heaney on the occassion of his 60th year in ministry

Fr. Sean Heaney

Interview in Offaly History on Wed 13 Nov 2024 with Shaun Wrafter

Paddy Cleary

Interview with John McDonald (27th Nov. 2024) with Shaun Wrafter from Offaly History

John McDonald

Richard Jack

Interview with Shaun Wrafter and Aidan Barry (Offaly History) on Tues 4th March 2025

Ronnie Colton

Mary K Cummins (Jim Kenny OH Recordings)

Johnny Cummins (Jim Kenny OH Recordings)

P Nolan (Jim Kenny OH Recordings)

Paddy Heaney (Jim Kenny OH Recordings)

Roly O Neill

John Gallagher interview on 1/4/25 with Shaun Wrafter and Aidan Barry. 

John Gallagher

1. Midlands 103 Willie Loughnane, Birr

2. Midlands 103 Tony Bernie

3. Midlands 103 Tony Garahy

4. Midlands 103 Ger Connolly

5. Midlands 103 Deirdre Fox

11. Midlands 103 Paul Bell

Joe Gaffey

Tullamore Golf Club Brookfield Historical project

Peter Nolan CD

John Cusack

Derek Whittle

Pat Carey

Peadar Bennett

William Donegan

Tom Fennelly

Sheila Knightly

Douglas Ward

Tom Mulligan

May Dowling

Interview with Bridget Daly, St. O'Hara's, Tullamore on Thurs 4th DEc 2025. Interview by Frank Brennan, Offaly History

Bridget Daly

Tadgh Pey Pt2 CD 2006

Sister Oliver Wrafter CD 2006

Mary McLoughlin CD 2006

Best of Barge Boatmen CD 2006

Brian Goggin Banagher CD 2006

Retired Barge Boatmen Pt1 CD 2006

Retired Barge Boatmen Pt2 CD 2006

Retired Barge Boatmen Pt3 CD 2006

Bridie Conroy CD 2006

Offaly History interview with Nellie Comerford (recorded 10/12/25) - Also present is Nellie's sister Mary and neighbour Gretta Flynn. Interview and editing by Aidan Barry.

Nellie Comerford

The Tullamore incident is a simple story and yet underneath the surface it shows the varieties of tension and the complexities that existed in the Tullamore community and in every town in Ireland at the time because of divided loyalties to the status quo, the men at the Front and to the independence of Ireland. Apart from that the incident has a significant place in the sequence of events leading to the rising, although views differ on how it was perceived at the time.

Michael Byrne - The Tullamore Incident, 20 March 1916: A Prelude to the Easter Rising

Pa Martin talking about his beloved Tullamore

A recording made by Dr Brendan White and Paddy Broderick, c. 1965-70

The Offaly History Centre is pleased to be able to give you the voice of Pa Martin talking about his beloved Tullamore. The recording was made by the late Dr Brendan White and his friend Paddy Broderick. All three have now passed on to the place where historians go. That is to a shrine where they will be memorialised and never forgotten. We certainly will work for that objective on their behalf.

Pa was a postman and known to everybody in Tullamore. I was fortunate to know him in the years 1970 until his death in early 1974, at the age of 59. As a young student then he seemed to me to be a good age, but of course he was only 59 when he died. His loss was a tragedy for the town and for Tullamore history. 

When I see the resource we have now I know that it was Pa and his close friend John Sweeney who inspired us and who were largely responsible for the re-establishment of the Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society (or Offaly Historical Society as it then was) in 1969.

Pa in this recording ranges over the town’s history. Remember it was a time when access to printed sources for a Tullamore-based person with no higher education was difficult. The county library resources were slim, but nonetheless Pa made use of what he found and especially the oral traditions. I had great pleasure in bringing him Xerox copies as they were then called of material on Offaly history from the TCD library. This recording was made before that time and sadly he had little time left to enjoy the great benefits of the photocopier and the new avenues to knowledge that were coming on stream.

 Enjoy it Tullamore and Offaly people across the world.

MB

Pa Martin Interview

The late Bill Jaffray talking about his beloved Tullamore at Offaly History Centre Heritage Week.

Offaly History

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