Showing 24 results

Poster advertising a carnival at Birr organised by the South Offaly Local Defence Force with dancing, parades and hurling tournaments.

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence concerning aspects of estate management undertaken by A. & L. Goodbody, solicitors on behalf of Lord Digby, such as rent collection, timber sales, illegal timber cutting on the estate, the terminal illness of Edward Nesbitt (estate bailiff), fishery rights on the Erne and the Moy, and sporting rights over the lands of Geashilll granted to Lord Digby and his father for life by the tenants.

Includes copy letter from Goodbody to Digby concerning fishery rights: '...As to the possibility of future legislation here. Well nothing that the [Salmon Fisheries] Association can do will stop the Government if they want to pass legislation. Strong opposition was put up about the ridiculous Irish language movement without any effect whatever. The idealists seem to get it all their own way and the opposition had not the courage to speak out their mind or vote as their conscience tells them they should vote, so they appear to have stayed away in the Senate instead of voting against it.' (8 May 1929)

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of Glenamoy Estate, Ballina, Co. Mayo under James Boland Esq. Matters referred to include a planned trip by Digby and his sister to the West of Ireland to visit Glenamoy River; notice of returns for all salmon, sea-trout and eels caught during the year ending 1931; the Erne Case in the Supreme Court Decision; 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 in Bangor; payment of fishery rates; requests from several parties to Lord Digby for permission to fish in the Glenamoy River; details of a report by the Land Commission into damage caused by flood in the Glenamoy district.

Letter from the Secretary of The Salmon Fisheries Protection Association: “I beg to apply to you for the renewal of Lord Digby’s subscription £2 2s to the Association in accordance with rule 4, under which subscriptions become payable on the 1st July in each year. The position with regard to the necessity for co-operation amongst Fishery Owners continues as insistent as heretofore. The Supreme Court has not as yet given a decision in the Erne case, and it is considered that this decision will be almost certain to affect every other similar Fishery in the Free State”. (15 July 1931)

Letter from Goodbody to Superintendent W Burns “Replying to yours of the 16th inst, on behalf of Lord Digby I have pleasure in giving you permission for a day’s shooting over his property at Glenamoy. There is a very decent man living behind the Lodge called Michael Healy, who will show you the boundaries and the best ground, and if you will show this letter to either him or Mr Boland, it will be all right for you … and the only thing I ask of you is to kindly let me know what your bag was, because I keep a record of the fishing and shooting, and I want to enter it up.” (17 November 1931)

Letter from Boland to Kennedy: “If Lord Digby gets a good offer for ‘shooting and fishing combined’ he should make a sale for a fortnight. The place has not been properly shot for years and still there seems to be no increase in the supply of birds just a few packs with several pairs of old birds and many old creeks and it would be better shoot the whole place out. As to the fishing this has been an abnormal year thousands of salmon have gone up stream. Hundreds are illegally netted on the Land Commission Property and sold to hawkers for 3d a lb. The sergeant caught a trio one night with 15 white trout 5 salmon and a new net. There will be a prosecution (not on Lord Digby’s). This will put a little stop to the poaching” (19 August 1933).

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)

Minute book of Banagher Bicycle and Athletic Club dealing with matters such as procuring a field for the holding of an athletic sprts day (29th May 1895) and printing of the rules of the club (12th June 1895). Newspaper reports of event pasted in.

Undated printed notice of Banagher Bicycle and Athletic Club informing that membership fee of 4s is due.

Softbound copy book containing minutes of the Tullamore Lawn Tennis Club, including two loose notes, one of which is a hand drawn programme for a tennis tournament. Minutes contain general rules of the club, statements of account, plans for tournaments, and lists of members. Important decisions recorded include changing the site of the tennis grounds to Spollenstown, Tullamore in 1894 and the construction of a pavilion. Prominent members include Rev. Maxwell H. Coote, Capt. Fetherstonhaugh, James Perry Goodbody, Reginald Digby, David Sherlock, Lewis Goodbody, J. Prior Kennedy, Rev. R. S. Craig, George Lauder, A. G. Gardiner, A. B. Reamsbottom, George Hoey, and James Denning,

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of the Geashill estate. Matters referred to include the death of Lewis Goodbody;the trade in timber; sale of game-keeper Donaldson's house in Ballina, Geashill; rent arrears; enquiries relating to extent of lands at Glenamoy, Digby's Mayo estate; sale of timber at Derrygunnigan; the Geashill Cauldron; proposed fisheries bill; replanting of the River Wood at Clonad; visit by Digby to Ireland; and the death of former game-keeper, David Donaldson.

Includes copy letter from Ken Kennedy to Digby concerning death of Lewis Goodbody:'...He and Mrs Goodbody returned to Dublin on Tuesday night last, and Lewis came down to Clara on Wednesday evening, where Mrs Goodbody joined him on Friday. Lewis attended his Office in Moate on Thursday, and did a full days work here on Friday, and his usual half day on Saturday. He told me on Friday for the first time, that for a short time, I rather think only after he got to Canterbury he had felt chest pain, and had several attacks of it...He had a bad night Saturday night, but felt well enough on Sunday, although he stayed in the house resting himself. Between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon of Sunday, he was sitting in the drawing room with Mrs Goodbody, and the latter asked him if he would like to come round the garden with her. He said that he thought not as he was comfortable where he was. Mrs Goodbody went out to the garden, and was a very short time away, and when she came back she found him sitting dead in his chair, just in the position she left him...I would like to thank you most sincerely for your sympathy to me. Lewis was like a father to me, and I have lost a good partner and a good friend. (10 January 1933)

Includes letter from Caroline G. Digby, Wimborne to Lord Digby:'I think it is best to write & tell you what I heard from my old cook today about the big bath or cauldron that was stolen from Geashill Castle 12 years ago - the night before Edith and [?] went over to see about the removal of our things to England. She writes: "I met a man on Saturday. He asked me 'do you ever hear from Mrs. Digby?' I said yes - Well he said will you write Mrs Digby & tell her I am the man has the cauldron - I raided here for it myself and three others. I am willing he said to give it up should Mrs. Digby write me. I told him I would write. His name is D. Kelly, Killeary, Geashill. He said his father was an old tenant of Lord Digby's. That's all he said. I was surprised & I was glad to hear it was coming to its own home again... There was a good many men of the name Kelly round Geashill. We cannot remember Killeary - the district was divided into so many townlands. My old cook may have spelt it wrong. She is still well known in Geashill & still lives there. You may think it well that Mr. Kennedy should go over & see her or have her see to his office & find out more....You may remember that my daughter Edith did go to the Museum in Dublin when she was over there some time ago. It seems a pity not to recover the cauldron as it was of great historic interest. Reggie used to show it to everyone who came to see us with great pride! It was awfully heavy and unwieldy...My cook's name is Mrs. Browne' (3 August 1933)

Annual report and rental for year ending June 1869, containing detailed report and accounts showing the receipts and disbursements on the estate for the preceding year. Records that the financial situation is favourable and that the largest expenditure was on drainage at Ballyknockan, Newtown, Killeenmore and Ballyduff. Reports that the RASI have awarded a 3rd Gold Medal and the Hall Challenge Cup for the best drainage in all Ireland. In relation to buildings and other improvements, he refers to ongoing renovations rather than new builds. Reports that the RASI have awarded a Gold Medal for improving existing labourers' cottages and that Mr Mallison, architect, was awarded £25 for best plans of labourers' cottages.(See 'Architectural drawings' preceding Index.) The constabulary barrack was fortified to withstand any attack. Woods and plantations were not as profitable as other years and reports on works on Derryclure, Clonad, Derryadd and Killeenmore.

In general, reports that 'an excellent tone pervades the people', that they appear satisfied and there is an absence of outrages. Regrets to say that part of the county boundary in Westmeath not for from estate is in a 'lawless condition'. Also reports on a 'curious incident' outside Tullamore where a ruse was employed by locals who wanted to divert police from an intended cock-fight. Also reports on the murder of Captain Tarleton and on a Mr Roberts who was forcefully ejected from his farm having 'seized' another farm which had belonged to a relative of his who had recently died. Appendix (pp54 and 55) contains copy correspondence between Lord Digby and RASI in relation to the establishment of a Digby Challenge Cup.

Photographs and negatives taken of Loughton house and the surrounding estate. The majority of the photographs are of the exterior of the house and of horses kept in Loughton. The file includes one negative of the interior, photographs of Theodora Trench, Sheelah Lefroy and Langlois Massy Lefroy playing and walking dogs, work being carried out on the estate and a negative of Benjamin Bloomfield Trench on a horse. The file includes a Christmas card from Buffy [?] sent to Theodora containing a photograph taken in Loughton of Theodora and an unidentified young boy.
Also included in the file are six glass plate negatives which show the interior of Borrisnafarney Church, a hunt gathered outside Loughton House and two unknown ladies walking their dogs.