Tullamore Harriers story is next up at local history centre
Author and journalist Kevin Corrigan will give a lecture on the story of Tullamore Harriers 1953-2018 at the first meeting of 2019 of Offaly Historical Society.
Next Monday's lecture (January 28) in the Offaly History Centre will follow the society's AGM which starts at 7.30pm. Kevin is a well known sports reporter in the region and the author of the recently published history of the club.
It tells the story of Tullamore Harriers which was formed on a famous night in November 1953 when a group of nine young men, mostly in their twenties, gathered on the town’s William Street and held their first meeting in Clarke’s Hairdressers.
It set the wheels in motion for an incredible sixty five years as the club became absolutely pivotal to life in Tullamore. On the tracks, roads and fields of Ireland, the club has enjoyed considerable success. It is the home to an Olympian, five national senior champions, victors and medallists in a host of other national and provincial grades, international competitors from junior up to senior level. Off the “field of play”, they have fought furious battles with authorities.
They endured a six month suspension after the 1961 “Battle of Tallaght”, won the right to build a pavilion that became central to the social scene in the midlands for four decades after a series of appeals against Council decisions and objections from residents.
Their story has been one of great achievement, on and off the track and nationally the town of Tullamore and Tullamore Harriers are synonymous with each other.
Meanwhile, the group want to thank everyone who supported the recent Christmas Draw. The winners were: 1st Prize Christmas Hamper Paschal & Elizabeth Sweeney, Tullamore; 2nd Prize Restaurant Voucher Sean Egan Ferbane; 3rd Prize Btl Tullamore Dew The Geoghegan Family Tullamore; 4th Prize Book Hamper Patrick Mercier Roscommon; 5th Prize Membership 2019 Sarah O’Brien Tullamore.
The popular Library night is back in Offaly History History Centre on Thursdays from 7.30pm until late for January to March. Lots to read. In preparation you can see our library catalogue online at librarything.com Shortcut via our website, offalyhistory.com. We are also open from 10 to 4 each day Monday to Friday.
The centre's history bookshop did well in the lead up to Christmas. Keep calling please as we have over 1,000 titles on offer, both local and national, new and secondhand. Some are rare and worth collecting. Our thanks to Christy Maye and John Cusack for their help with our history stand in the Bridge Centre before Christmas. It went well and lots of people went home with a local history gift for Christmas. Thanks to the members who worked at the stand and gave so much time to making it a success.