Annual Report 2012.pdf (size 5.8 MB) - Offaly County Council

National Museum of IrelandA number of archaeological finds were donated to theNational Museum in 2012. They included a donation of adecorated quern stone from Patrick and Mary Dunne fromBallymacmurrough townland and the donation of a stoneaxe head from Stephen Powell from Clonbeale. As Offalydoes not have a county museum all the archaeologicalartefacts found in Offaly are looked after by the NationalMuseum. In addition a loan agreement was drawn up forthe sheela na gig from the Figile river to be displayed inEdenderry library. Keeper of Irish Antiquities Ned Kellygave a talk on sheela na gigs in the library duringHeritage Week.Follies TrustFollowing a submission made to the Follies Trust and a tourof sites in Offaly, Sadleir’s Tower on Mullagh Hill ownedby the Dillon family was selected as a project the FolliesTrust would like to assist with. The first step was thatconservation architect Margaret Quinlan prepared a report toguide works. It is planned that works on site will commencein 2013. The interest from the Follies Trust led to a bookedout tour of follies during Heritage Week in August.Placename RecordingFollowing recording of placenames in the Slieve Blooms in2010 and Broughal in 2011, Gertie Keane carried outcomprehensive recording of placenames in the Killeigh areaover the summer of 2012. Her methodology differed in thatshe recorded the whole area systematically noting wherefield names were no longer known too.Birr Public Realm Working GroupThis group continues to meet monthly. In 2012 the Towntrail was updated and revised. Tenders were issued for aproject in Cornmarket Square. A sculpture for the Tullamoreroad was commissioned under the Percent for Arts project.A programme with the Chamber of Commerce and Dulux ledto many of the buildings in the historic core being repainted.Durrow Monastic Site2012 saw the establishment of a working group chaired byMarcella Corcoran Kennedy TD to pursue all options to makethe site at Durrow accessible and to promote it to the public.Offaly Local Authorities Annual Report 201255