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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.

Typescript of memoir titled ‘Do You Remember’. Recounts the life in Birr and covers the following subjects: soldiers from Birr returning from World War I (1918), the Treaty (1921), occupation of Free State Troops of ‘The Gorm' (the workhouse) in Birr (1922), burning of Crinkle Barracks (1922) and other reminiscences of life in Birr from 1930s to 1980s.

Photograph album created by Lt. Col. M. O'Carroll Fitz-Simon, M.C. , who began his military career in Prince of Wales' Leinster Regiment, which was headquartered at Birr. The photographs document a peace-keeping mission the Leinsters undertook in Silesia (now part of Poland) from their departure at Dover on 31 May 1921, through Germany and to their destination of Oppeln (Opole in Poland today). Following the disbandment of the regiment in June 1922, Fitz-Simon joined the King's Own Regiment, Lancaster and the remaining photographs in the album depict scenes from missions in India and Burma. There is also a small number of photographs of people and houses in the Birr area including Whigsborough House, and the burnt out remains of Birr Barracks (following its destruction in the Civil War in July 1922).

Letterbook created by Reginald Digby recording letters received from the tenants’ association on the Geashill Estate in relation to the sale of lands by Lord Digby to the tenants under the Land Act of 1903. Includes his copy replies to the secretaries of the association, James Matthews and John Corcoran, and later James Chissell. Also includes copy letters from solicitor to the estate, Lewis Goodbody, who advises on proceedings with the Land Commission and letters from Fr. O’Beirne PP, acting as an intermediary between the estate and the tenants.

Includes a memo of a meeting between Lord Digby and a deputation from the tenants’ association on 30 September 1907, and the decision arrived at by the tenants at a further meeting in the Forester’s Hall, Tullamore, on 2 January 1908 to reject the terms of sale put forward by Lord Digby due to his decision not to cancel the hanging gale and remit a half year’s rent as requested by the tenants.

Also includes later newspaper cuttings concerning unrest on the Estate at the decision to sell untenanted lands to three land owners rather than distributed to small holders and evicted tenants. Cuttings also refer to the Geashill Cattle Drive of November 1914 and the subsequent court martial with James Rogers representing the forty-six arrested. Includes transcripts of James Rogers’ cross-examination of County Inspector Hubert William Crane. Also includes a loose printed catalogue of the auction of Geashill Castle’s contents to be held 22 March 1922.

Contains manuscript material, brochures, pamphlets, and a substantial newspaper collection created principally by Tullamore brothers and Irish Volunteers Séamus and Alo O’Brennan. The earliest material from 1906 and 1909 are programs for feiseanna held by Tullamore Celtic Literary Society and Conradh na Gaeilge. Also includes letter from Inspector Crane of Tullamore RIC Barracks giving permission in 1911 to James Brennan (Séamus O’Brennan) to play hand-ball in the alley at the barracks during weekdays. Both Crane and O’Brennan were involved in the Tullamore Incident five years later.

Also includes a copy of the charge sheet relating to the Tullamore Incident of March 1916, the original of which is in a related set of O'Brenan family papers. This copy is annotated by Alo O’Brennan, along with annotated pages from Hansard’s Debates from April 1916 relating to the ‘affray.’

Also includes an illustrated pledge signed by Alo O’Brennan in Tullamore in June 1918 ‘denying the right of the British government to enforce compulsory service...’

Also includes an autograph book created by Séamus O’Brennan in Ballykinlar internment camp (1920-21).

Propaganda newspaper issued by Saorstát Éireann (Issue of 1 August 1922), with the headline ‘The Nation over all’ with articles condemning the actions of anti-treatyites.

Minute books, accounts ledgers, reports, workhouse registers, and ancillary material relating to the creation, administration, and eventual dissolution of Parsonstown Union from its establishment in May 1839 to its dissolution in 1925. The union’s Board of Guardians were responsible for overseeing several functions of local government; primarily the care of the poor, including the setting up, financing and running of the workhouse, the creation of dispensary districts, assisted migration and outdoor relief.

The main set of records are the minute books of the Boards of Guardians, comprising 97 volumes. Other material is financial in nature, such as the financial minute books and repayment of relief account book. Three registers of the Parsonstown (Birr) workhouse survive; 1842-1843, 1849-1850 and loose pages from a 1912 registers. As the Board of Guardians also oversaw the dispensary districts in the union, there is a ledger relating to their activities, as well as a copy of the lease for the Kinnitty dispensary residences.

Parsonstown Union’s area of operation covered 234 square miles from two counties: from Offaly (King’s County) – Banagher, Drumcullen, Eglish, Ferbane, Frankfort, Kilcoleman, Kinnety, Lemanagan, Letter, Lusmagh, Seirkyrans, Parsonstown, Shannon Bridge, Shannon Harbour and Tissarin. From County Tipperary – Aglishcloghane, Ballingarry, Dorha, Lockeen, Lorha and Uskeane.