Author of the 'King's County Directory', which featured the towns and villages of Offaly, as well as short histories detailing local areas and prominent figures.
Captain Bernard Daly took over Tullamore Distillery in 1887. Daniel E. Williams (1848–1921) who had joined the distillery in 1864 as an engineer, was promoted by Daly to General Manager of the Distillery in 1885. The distillery grew in strength and in 1903 was incorporated into the company B. Daly & Co., Ltd. The most famous brand produced was the whiskey, Tullamore DEW. Captain Daly held a portion of the shares in B. Daly & Co. Ltd., and the Williams family held the remainder. D. E. Williams died in 1921 and the business was taken over by his son, Captain John Williams. In 1931, Captain Daly resigned as director of the board and the Williams family acquired all shares in the company. In response to falling whiskey sales in the 1940s, an associate company, The Irish Mist Liqueur Co. Ltd was formed in 1948 to bring a new product to the market. In 1952, the brand name Tullamore DEW was sold to Irish Distillers Ltd, and B. Daly & Co. Ltd ceased distilling and diversified into chicken production.
The Barons Digby of Geashill in the King's County derive their title from Lettice, the only daughter of Gerald, Lord Offaly, eldest son of the Earl of Kildare (1559-1580). Lettice married Sir Robert Digby of Coleshill, Warwickshire. He died in 1618 but Lettice, Lady Digby, then laid claim to the barony of Geashill and the estates of her grandfather, the Earl of Kildare, as heir general. The case was decided against her and in appeasement, James I created her Baroness of Offaly for life and awarded her the barony of Geashill. Her eldest son, Robert, was created Lord Digby of Geashill in the Peerage of Ireland in 1620. The title passed in direct descent until the death of Edward, 8th Baron Digby who died without issue in 1856. It was then passed to his cousin Edward St Vincent, 9th Baron Digby, from whom the present Lord Digby derives his title. In 1765, the 7th Baron Digby was also created 1st Baron Digby in the Peerage of Great Britain. In 1790, he was also created Viscount Coleshill and Earl Digby. The viscountcy and the earldom became extinct on the death of the 8th Baron in 1856, but both baronetcies (Baron Digby of Geashill in the King's County and Baron Digby of Sherbourne in the County of Dorset) continue to the present day.
James A. Ennis (NUI) (E 1925), a native of Rhode, County Offaly, was educated at Mount St Joseph, Roscrea and later at University College, Dublin and qualified in 1925. A year later he was admitted a solicitor taking first place in Ireland in his final examination. He took over the Rogers practice on James Rogers being appointed county registrar in 1926. James Ennis became a member of the Tullamore Urban District Council in 1932 and later its chairman. Like his father he became a member of Offaly County Council representing Fianna Fáil of which he was a committed member. He was appointed county registrar for Offaly in September 1943 when his old partner, James Rogers decided to give up the registrarship and return to private practice. Prominent in bridge circles he was also a foundation member of the Offaly Archaeological and Historical Society and was its treasurer for many years. James A. Ennis died in March 1983 and is buried at Rhode cemetery. He had retired from the position of county registrar in 1971 but went back into private practice at his residence for a few years following his retirement as county registrar.
Peadar Bracken was born in Tullamore in 1887. A lifelong nationalist, he joined the Tullamore branch of the Gaelic League in 1902 and was recruited into the IRB in 1904 at the age of 17. A stone-cutter by trade, he emigrated in 1911 to Perth in Western Australia where he joined his brother Denis in the stone-cutting business there. On hearing of the formation of the Irish Volunteers in 1913, Peadar returned to Tullamore and was elected by the Tullamore Volunteers as their First Captain. In November 1914, he was arrested along with 45 others for his involvement in the Geashill Cattle Drive. Due to the fact that he had discharged a fireream during the melée, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment in Mountjoy Gaol but only served two.
In 1915 he was appointed First Commandant of the newly formed Athlone IV Brigade. In March 1916, he was a key figure in the Tullamore Incident and fired ‘the first shots’ in the affray. He and Seamus O’Brennan subsequently went on the run. During the 1916 Rising, he held key positions in the heart of the fighting, as OC O’Connell Bridge and holding the GPO until surrender. He was released from Kilmainham Gaol in June 1916 and immediately reorganised the Athlone IV Brigade. During the War of Independence he was appointed overall Commandant of No 1 and No 2 Offaly IRA Brigades and Staff Officer to IRA-HQ. He was interned in the Curragh Camp in 1921 but was released in October of that year. Following the establishment of the Free State, he was appointed first clerk of the courts for Tullamore and later to Daingean, Clara and Ferbane. In 1934 he was appointed commissioner for oaths and in the 1940s he served as staff officer with the Tullamore Local Defence Force. His military pension application was approved in 1940 and he was awarded medals for his involvement in the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence. He died in January 1916.