Blue Ball an Phailís
—  Town  —
The Blue Ball pub at Blue Ball
Blue Ball Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°13′N 7°37′W / 53.217°N 7.617°W / 53.217; -7.617Coordinates: 53°13′N 7°37′W / 53.217°N 7.617°W / 53.217; -7.617
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	Offaly
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (WEST) (UTC-1)
Irish Grid Reference

Blue Ball, historically known as Pallis (Irish: an Phailís), is a hamlet in County Offaly, lying southwest of Tullamore at the junction of the N52 and the R357.

The sign of the Blue Ball

See also[link]

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

This article related to the geography of County Offaly, Ireland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

County Offaly Contae Uíbh Fhailí
Coat of arms
Motto: Esto Fidelis  (Latin) "Be Faithful"
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
Dáil Éireann	Laois-Offaly
EU Parliament	East
County seat	Tullamore
Government
• Type	County Council
Area
• Total	2,000 km2 (800 sq mi)
Area rank	18th
Population (2011)	76,806
• Rank	23rd
Car plates	OY
Website	www.offaly.ie

County Offaly (Irish: Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 76,806 according to the 2011 census.^[1]

Geography and political subdivisions[link]

Offaly is the 18th largest of Ireland’s 32 counties by area and the 23rd largest in terms of population.^[2] It is the fifth largest of Leinster’s 12 counties by size and the 9th largest by population. It is the largest county by area and the second largest by population in the Midlands.

Towns and villages[link]

Physical geography[link]

Tullamore is the county town and largest town in Offaly and is the 30th largest in Ireland. Offaly borders seven counties, the second most of any county after Tipperary, which borders eight. Offaly is bordered by Galway, Roscommon, Tipperary, Laois, Westmeath, Kildare and Meath. The Slieve Bloom Mountains are in the southern part of the county on the border with Laois. Offaly has the 24th highest county peak in Ireland. The highest point is Arderin (Irish: Ard Éireann) in the Slieve Blooms at 527 metres (1,729 ft). The Slieve Bloom Mountains contain the county's highest points including Stillbrook Hill and Wolftrap Mountain which are the county's second and third highest peaks. Croghan Hill rises from the Bog of Allen and is located in northern Offaly. Although only 234 metres high, it is known for its view over the surrounding area and it stands out by itself.

In the northwestern part of the county is the floodplain of the River Shannon. The River Camcor runs through the town of Birr and is a Wild Trout Conservation Area. The River Brosna runs across the county from Lough Owel in Westmeath to Shannon Harbour. Silver River runs through several towns in the south of the county before joining Brosna near the town of Ferbane. The Grand Canal also runs across the county from Edenderry on the north-east to Shannon Harbour before joining the Shannon. The county contains many small lakes from Lake Boora to Pallas Lake and it also contains 42 hectares of swamp. There are a number Eskers in the counties landscape including Esker Riada.

Offaly largely comprises a flat landscape and is known for its extensive bog and peatlands. There are many large bogs in Offaly including the Bog of Allen, Clara bog, Boora bog and Raheenmore Bog which are spread out across the county with the Bog of Allen extending into four other counties. The county consists of approximately 42,000 hectares of peatlands which is 21% of Offaly's total land area.

Offaly contains approximately 9,000 hectares (22,239 acres) of forest and woodland area, which only amounts to 4.5% of the county's land area. This includes woodlands within the Slieve Blooms and the Lough Boora Parklands. Roughly 75% of Offaly's forested area is Conifer High Forest.

Baronies[link]

Baronies of Offaly

The following are the historical baronies located in County Offaly:

• Ballyboy
• Ballybrit
• Ballycowen
• Clonlisk
• Coolestown
• Eglish
• Garrycastle
• Geashill
• Kilcoursey
• Lower Philipstown
• Upper Philipstown
• Warrenstown

History[link]

One of the earliest known settlements in County Offaly is at Boora bog which dates back to the Mesolithic era. Excavations here provides evidence of a temporary settlement as no structures were found at the site. Stone axes, arrow heads and blades were discovered which date to between 6.800 - 6,000 BCE.^[9]

The monastic complex of Clonmacnoise was of the most important in Ireland. Located at the River Shannon near Shannonbridge, it was the greatest centre of learning in Europe during the first millennium.^{[citation needed]} It was regarded as the most important centre for learning, Arts and Crafts and Christianity in Europe and today tourists may see the famous Celtic Crosses of Clonmacnoise at the site.^{[citation needed]}

Before the plantation of Offaly by English settlers, the territories it comprises were controlled principally by the Ó Conchubhair Fáilghe clan in the North/East of the county (anglicised as: O'Conor Faly) and the Ó Céarbhaill of Eile (anglicised as: O'Carroll Ely) in the south. In 1556, an Act of the Irish parliament created "King's County", named after Philip, the then King of Ireland.^[10] After the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 the name was changed to County Offaly.

Local government and politics[link]

Offaly County Council based in the county hall in Tullamore is responsible for local services such as housing policy, social and cultural services, economic development and planning, motor taxation and infrastructural policy in the county. 21 councillors are elected from the 4 electoral areas of Tullamore (7 members), Ferbane (4 members), Edenderry (6 members) and Birr (4 members). Councillors are also elected to town councils in Birr, Tullamore and Edenderry. At national level Offaly is part of the Laois/Offaly constituency which elects 5 TDs to the Dail. In the 2011 Election parts of the south of County Offaly form part of the North Tipperary constituency.

Demographics[link]

Birr Castle

The 2006 population figure for County Offaly is the highest for the county since 1881.^[11] The Central Statistics Office estimates that the increase in population between 2002 and 2006 (7,205) comprised a natural increase of 2,026 people with the balance of 5,179 accounted for by net in-migration from within Ireland as well as abroad. Offaly’s population growth during the period 2002–2006 (11.3%) has been stronger than the National average (8.2%). This may be attributed to proximity to the Greater Dublin Area, recent increased accessibility to Dublin (M6, M7, and improved rail services) and the differential in house prices between Dublin and Offaly.^[11]

The population of many towns has risen dramatically over the period 1996 to 2006: Birr +21.5%, Tullamore +28.8% and Edenderry +53.9%. Portarlington has had a population increase of 50.1% from 2002 to 2006 alone.^[11]

In 2006 the age profile of the population is as follows:^[11]

• <15 years ... 22.52%
• 15-64 yrs ... 66.54%
• >65 years ... 10.95%

Places of interest[link]

• A notable tourist attraction is the narrow gauge Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway in Blackwater Bog.
• Birr in the south of the county is best known for its castle and gardens. Birr Castle is owned by the Parsons family, (the family bears the title: 'Earl of Rosse') and is best known for its 19th-century telescope.
• Sculpture in the Parklands around Lough Boora in Boora Bog.
• Charleville Castle located in Tullamore
• Ancient Christian monastic site at Clonmacnoise along with ancient examples of the Irish High cross such as the 'Cross of the Scriptures', the round tower and visitors center.
• Kinnitty Castle
• Slieve Bloom Mountains with panoramic views of Counties Offaly and Laois
• Banagher on the river Shannon for cruises along the river.
• The Boora bog reserve is a haven for wildlife and most notably contain the last Irish population of the grey partridge.

Sport[link]

Gaelic games are popular in the county. Offaly GAA consists of some 44 clubs playing Gaelic football and hurling in communities throughout the county. Birr is generally considered a hurling stronghold. The team won four All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championships. County teams have also had national success in both hurling and football, winning the Liam McCarthy Cup four times and the Sam Maguire Cup three times. The football team is perhaps best known for the Seamus Darby goal in the dying minutes of the 1982 football final when Offaly took the title by one point denying Kerry an historic five All-Ireland titles in a row.

Other popular sports in the county include rugby and Association Football where Tullamore Town F.C. are in the A Championship.

Economy[link]

Clonmacnoise.

Traditionally, agriculture and industry have been the main driving force of the economy in the county. Offaly has extensive bogland, particularly in the northern parts of the county, that forms part of the Bog of Allen. Bord na Móna was founded in 1946 and provided employment to hundreds of people in Offaly by making peat briquettes (for home domestic use) and supplying peat to power stations operated by ESB. Peat briquettes are currently made at the Bord na Móna factory at Derrinlough near Birr. Power stations are operating at Shannonbridge and Edenderry. With the continuing depletion of the bogs a number of power stations have closed down in recent years. The ESB power station at Lumcloon, Ferbane was a major employer in the midlands but closed in 2001. Rhode power station closed down soon afterwards. These were major landmarks in Offaly with large cooling towers that were visible for miles around Offaly and beyond, but were demolished soon after the stations closed. Many bogs are now used as wildlife reserves or for tourism activities such as Lough Boora.

The opening of the Grand Canal in the 18th century brought prosperity to towns such as Banagher and Tullamore. Both towns were important stops on the Dublin to Limerick navigation which supported a number of industries and brought cheap and efficient water transport to the county in that era.

The Celtic Tiger also brought an increase in economic activity to Offaly with business enterprise and industrial parks opening in Birr, Edenderry and Tullamore. Many people particularly in the east of the county are within an easy commuting distance to Dublin where many find employment.

Transport[link]

Rail[link]

Offaly has a number of train stations, these including Tullamore railway station, Clara railway station and Portarlington railway station. Tullamore and Clara railway stations are on the main Dublin to Ballina/Galway/Westport railway line with regular trains serving the area especially for Dublin commuters. All trains to the south and west of Ireland pass through Portarlington railway station from Heuston Railway Station in Dublin. Birr railway station closed in the 1960s.

Road[link]

Three main national secondary routes pass through the county. The N52 road passes from Kilbeggan to Tullamore and Birr which then continues to Nenagh where it intersects with the M7. The N62 from Athlone passes through Ferbane and Birr and continues onto Roscrea and Thurles. The N80 route starts in Tullamore and continues to the south east passing through Portlaoise and Carlow. There are no main national primary routes in the county, however, the M6 skirts the county to the north and the M7 skirts the county to the south through Moneygall. Road infrastructure has improved with the completion of the Tullamore bypass in 2009 and improved access to regional citys following completion of the intercity motorway network.

Bus[link]

Bus Éireann provide public transport services throughout the county with regular bus services to Limerick and Waterford from Athlone bus station. Other private bus coach services provide direct bus services from Birr to Dublin such as Kearns bus service who run several services daily. Slieve Bloom Coaches run services from Tullamore and Portarlington to Dublin.

Waterway[link]

The Grand Canal connecting Dublin to the river Shannon was constructed through the towns of Edenderry and Tullamore and joins the Shannon at Shannon Harbour. Traditionally this was an important route for transport, communication and trade between Dublin, Limerick and the midlands of Ireland. The route fell into decline as road transport became more popular. Much of the route is now used for boating and leisure activities.

Media[link]

Radio[link]

Midlands 103 (originally Midlands Radio 3) which broadcasts to Laois, Offaly and Westmeath is based in Tullamore and has studios across the midlands. RTE's medium wave transmitter broadcasting RTE Radio 1 was also located in Tullamore but transmission stopped in 2008.

Print[link]

A number of local newspapers are published in Offaly. The Offaly Express, Offaly Independent and Tullamore Tribune are based in Tullamore. The Midland Tribune based in Birr covers local news in the west and south of the county as well as parts of North Tipperary including the towns of Birr, Roscrea and Nenagh and surrounding areas.

People[link]

• The former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, was born in Clara, County Offaly on 10 January 1960. He now lives on the outskirts of Tullamore.
• The short story writer, novelist and playwright William Trevor (KBE) was born in County Offaly, and raised in County Cork.
• The world-famous scientist John Joly was born at Bracknagh in 1857.
• The former Irish Open champion, golfer Shane Lowry.
• Ged Corcoran, rugby league player, former Halifax RLFC of Super League and currently playing for Toulouse Olympique.
• William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, astronomer
• Barry Glendenning, journalist
• Mundy, musician
• Neil Delamere, comedian

See also[link]

• List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Offaly)
• Lord Lieutenant of King's County
• High Sheriff of King's County

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: County Offaly

• Offaly County Council
• Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce
• Tullamore Life & Community
• The Offaly Express Newspaper
• Offaly Football and Hurling Club New York
• Athlone Cricket Club - County Offaly
• Ferbane Town Website - County Offaly
• Offaly Historical & Archaeological Society

v t e Places in County Offaly County town: Tullamore Towns Birr Clara Edenderry Ferbane Tullamore Villages and Townlands Ballinagar Ballyboy Ballycumber Banagher Blue Ball Bracknagh Brosna Cadamstown Capppancur Clareen Cloghan Clonbollogue Clonmacnoise Clonony Clonygowan Coolderry Crinkill Croghan Cushina Daingean Doon Dunkerrin Durrow Geashill Horseleap Kilcormac Killeigh Killoughey Kinnitty Moneygall Mountbolus Pollagh Rahan Rhode Roscore Shannonbridge Shannon Harbour Shinrone Walsh Island Landforms Arderin Barcam Bog of Allen Boora bog Carroll's Hill Farbreague Clara Bog Croghan Hill Esker Riada Grand Canal Raheenmore Bog River Brosna River Camcor River Shannon Silver River Stillbrook Hill Wolftrap Mountain Topics Education in County Offaly Geography of County Offaly History of County Offaly List of National Monuments in County Offaly List of townlands in County Offaly Media in County Offaly Mountains and hills of County Offaly Politics of County Offaly Religion in County Offaly Rivers of County Offaly Transport in County Offaly Counties of Ireland

v t e Counties of Ireland The counties are listed per province Connacht Galway Leitrim Mayo Roscommon Sligo Munster Clare Cork Kerry Limerick Tipperary (North Tipperary · South Tipperary) Waterford Leinster Carlow Dublin (Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown · Fingal · South Dublin) Kildare Kilkenny Laois Longford Louth Meath Offaly Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Ulster Antrim† Armagh† Cavan Donegal Down† Fermanagh† Londonderry† Monaghan Tyrone† Italics denote non-administrative counties. Brackets denote non-traditional counties. †denotes non-administrative counties of Northern Ireland

Coordinates: 53°15′N 7°30′W / 53.25°N 7.5°W / 53.25; -7.5

Philip Nolan (1771 – 21 March 1801) was a horse-trader and freebooter in Natchez, on the Mississippi River, and the Spanish province of Texas.

He is not to be confused with the fictional Philip Nolan of "The Man Without a Country" by Edward Everett Hale whose background was only loosely based on the real Philip Nolan's exploits. Hale had intended to make his fictional character Philip Nolan's brother, but, misremembering the real Nolan's name as "Nathaniel", named his character "Philip" (the apostles Philip and Nathaniel being frequently mentioned together in the New Testament). In editions printed after Hale discovered his mistake, the word "brother" was therefore changed to "cousin", and Hale wrote The Real Philip Nolan by way of atonement.

Nolan was born to Peter Nolan and the former Elizabeth Cassidy in Belfast, Ireland, in 1771 ^[1]. He was apparently well-educated. At the age of fifteen, he went to work for the Kentucky and Louisiana entrepreneur James Wilkinson as his business secretary and bookkeeper (1788–1791). He handled much of Wilkinson's New Orleans trade and became conversant in Spanish. During this time, he became acquainted with Manuel Luis Gayoso de Lemos Amorín y Magallanes, the district governor for Natchez.

In 1791, using the influence of Wilkinson, Nolan obtained a trading passport from the Spanish governor of Louisiana and West Florida, Esteban Rodríguez Miró. He left Wilkinson's employ and set out to trade with the Indian tribes across the Mississippi. The passport was void in Texas, and his goods were confiscated by Spanish authorities. Nonetheless, and after living with the Indians for two years, Nolan returned to New Orleans with fifty horses.

He made a second trip to Texas in 1794-1795, with a passport from the Louisiana governor. He made acquaintance with Texas Governor Manuel Muñoz and the commandant general of the Provincias Internas, Pedro de Nava. It was on this trip that he met his first wife. This time he brought back 250 horses.

In 1796, Nolan worked for Andrew Ellicott, boundary commissioner for the United States who was mapping up the Missouri River. Governor Gayoso de Lemos was not pleased when Nolan arrived at Natchez accompanied by the surveying party.

But Nolan managed to patch things up, at least with Governor Carondelet in New Orleans, and obtained a third passport to enter Texas, despite the fact that trade directly between Louisiana and Texas was still officially prohibited by Spain. Gayoso de Lemos was not fooled. He wrote directly to the viceroy of Mexico, warning him against foreigners (such as Nolan) who were stirring up the Texas Indians against Spanish rule.

In the summer of 1797, Nolan left on his third trip to Texas with a wagon train of trade goods, which he successfully brought to La Villa de San Fernando de Béxar, Spanish Texas (now San Antonio, the seat of Bexar County), where he insinuated himself in Spanish Texas society and married.^[2] Commandant General Pedro de Nava was ordered by the viceroy to deal with Nolan, but Governor Muñoz defended Nolan and provided him with safe conduct out of Texas. Nolan left his wife and daughter in Texas and came back to Natchez in the autumn of 1799 with more than 1,200 horses.

Nolan is sometimes credited with being the first to map Texas for the American frontiersmen, but his map has never been found. Nonetheless, his observations were passed on to Wilkinson, who used them to produce his map of the Texas-Louisiana frontier in 1804.

Philip Nolan was married twice, first to Maria Gertrudis Dolores Quiñones, with whom he had a daughter, Maria Josefa Nolan, born August 20, 1798, in what is now San Antonio. Philip was separated from Maria by, at least, July 1800 ^[3]. He also married the former Frances Lintot, the daughter of Bernard Lintot, a prominent Natchez citizen, on December 19, 1799.^[4] Frances bore him a son Philip Nolan, Jr., in July 1801, after he had left on his fourth and final trip to Texas.

Nolan was unable to obtain any more passports from the Spanish authorities. He conceived or borrowed a scheme to go illegally into Texas and perhaps other Mexican provinces. There is considerable dispute about the exact nature of this filibustering expedition; some claim that he promised his men that they would seize riches and land and create a kingdom for themselves. Nonetheless, he convinced some thirty frontiersmen that the expedition would make them rich. They crossed the border in October 1800 and headed north of Nacogdoches to capture wild mustangs. The Spanish soon heard of their activities, and Pedro de Nava ordered their arrest.

On March 21, 1801, a Spanish force of 120 men under the command of Lieutenant M. Múzquiz left Nacogdoches in pursuit of Nolan, whom they encountered entrenched and unwilling to surrender just upstream from where the current Nolan River flows into the larger Brazos (now in Hill County, Texas). Several of Nolan's men surrendered immediately to the Spanish and after Nolan was killed, the remainder yielded. Nolan's ears were cut off as evidence for Spain that he was dead.^{[citation needed]} The first-hand account of the expedition, capture and subsequent imprisonment is contained in the Memoirs of Ellis P. Bean, who was second in command of the expedition.^[5]

Notes[link]

1. ^ Entry in the Census of Nacogdoches by Antonio Gil Ybabro, December 31, 1792.
2. ^ Handbook of Texas Online: "Nolan, Philip". Last accessed May 29, 2009.
3. ^ Descendants of Joseph Quiñones, as compiled by Steve Gibson, updated August 2, 2004, from Internet Archive.
4. ^ Bean, Ellis P. (1816). Appendix No. II, "Memoir of Colonel Ellis P. Bean" as published in History of Texas From Its First Settlement In 1685 To Its Annexation To The United States In 1846. New York: Redfield (1856). pp. 403–452. http://books.google.com/?id=9zwVAAAAYAAJ&printsec=toc#PRA1-PA403,M1. Retrieved 2009-05-27. 

References[link]