Heritage heroes accorded Offaly's highest honour by County Council

OFFALY'S two national Heritage Heroes – the Egan family from Fivealley and Banagher based historian, James Scully – were accorded the county's highest honour when a civic reception was held in their honour in Aras an Chontae in Tullamore last week.

Also honoured at the civic reception were four local heritage groups, recognised for their incredible performances in various awards schemes last year.

They are – Lemanaghan Bog Heritage and Conservation Group (Intangible Cultural Heritage Award runners-up 2024); Shinrone Heritage Group (County Award 2024); Ballycumber Tidy Towns (Water Heritage Award Winners 2024) and Heritage Boats Association/ Waterways Ireland/ Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (Water Heritage Award runners-up 2024).

The reception was attended by the award winners and their families, elected members of Offaly County Council, including Cathaoirleach, Cllr Audrey Hennessy Kennedy, Chief Executive, Anna Marie Delaney and Virginia Teehan and Ronan Healy of the Heritage Council.

Also in attendance was Offaly Heritage Officer, Amanda Pedlow, who this year marks 25 years working with the county council in that role.

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Cathaoirleach Cllr Audrey Hennessy Kennedy noted that the “Heritage Hero Award marks recognition of work over a lifetime. To receive a national award as Heritage Hero is to be acknowledged for significant contribution to Ireland’s Heritage.”

She stressed that Offaly is the only county to have more than one Heritage Hero since the national award was introduced.

The Birr based public representative said the Egan family were recognised for the care by many generations of the family farmhouse, ‘Carrigeen Farmhouse’ in Five Alley.

“Anne Maria Egan contacted our own heritage office several years ago and both Amanda Pedlow and Rachel McKenna, Heritage and Conservation staff here in Offaly, quickly realised how special the house was with its unique fixtures and fittings. The ladies introduced the family to Claudia Kinmonth (a national expert) to survey the house in 2017. Dr. Claudia knew it had nationally important fixtures and fittings but what made it even more special was the immediate family connection to the farmhouse.”

The Egan Carrigeen farmhouse also featured in Rachel McKenna’s publication “Traditional Architecture in Offaly” and thanks to the generosity of the Egan Family, their homestead features regularly during Heritage Week events.

Continued the Cathaoirleach: “Our second Heritage Hero is James Scully. From his long-standing interests and research in the Grand Canal, Banagher Bridge, Fort Eliza, county archives, to communicating what he learns through his research to the wider public with talks, blogs, publications, and conversations, James has played a key role in the Banagher Conservation Plan, Fort Eliza Napoleonic interpretative signage, as well as establishing the Brontë Society in Banagher in 2023 and what most would consider a lifetime involvement in Offaly History Society for over 50 years.”

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She said that the occasion also belongs to the four community groups that won awards during National Heritage Week in 2024

As a Council, the speaker said they continue to look forward to celebrating the unique heritage of Offaly.

“The dedicated activities undertaken by our staff in Heritage, Conservation, Creative Ireland and Biodiversity aims to increase awareness and appreciation of our manmade, cultural and natural heritage, leading to actions which promote its protection, enhancement and vitality, not only during Heritage and Biodiversity weeks, but throughout the year.”

Congratulating those being honoured, Cllr Peter Ormond, said it took people and groups with specialist skills to bring heritage projects to fruition.

Cllr Shane Murray said he was glad to see a Tullamore native, James Scully being honoured, and he paid tribute to the fantastic work of Ballycumber Tidy Towns and Lemaghan Bog Heritage and Conservation Group.

CEO of the Heritage Council, Virginia Teehan, said it was a tribute to the people of Offaly that two Heritage Hero awards had been bestowed on the county.

She said Heritage Week was a national celebration of the country's heritage and one of the biggest festivals in Ireland with over half a million participants.

On behalf of the Egan family, Anna Maria Egan thanked the council for the honour and said her family received great support from the body in preserving their unique farmhouse.

James Scully also extended his appreciation and expressed his disquiet over a planned bridge and greenway in west Offaly. (See seperate story.)

Aoife Phelan, on behalf of the Lemanaghan Bog Heritage and Conservation Group, commented: “Lemanaghan is a place of quiet power — steeped in history, faith, and resilience. It is a place that speaks of St. Manchán and St. Mella, of sacred wells and monastic foundations, and of deep connections — including that special link we share with Clonmacnoise. This connection enriches our understanding of Lemanaghan’s significance, and reminds us that our small place is part of a much bigger spiritual and historical story.”

Ger Murphy of Shinrone Heritage spoke about the Shinrone Gown project which had seen the recreation of a garment from the 1620s.

Tony Ennis, representing Ballycumber Tidy Towns, revealed that the entire community in the village – people aged nine to 90 – supported their work.

Martina McCarthy, Waterways Ireland, said their project was a collaborative effort and noted that Offaly was very lucky to have such wonderful water-based resources.