Technology vital for the future of Laois history

In 2020 Laois Local Studies, with the support of the Creative Ireland Programme and Laois County Council, launched its digital archive and website.

The digital archive plays an important role in preserving original records while enhancing access to the public. By digitising the archives, the originals are protected from unnecessary and harmful handling while ensuring public access to their content. Digitisation also facilitates access to Laois related material held within private collections.

The digital collections added to the archive this year include a large collection of images captured by Ivo, 5th Viscount de Vesci, two prisoner autograph books from the War of Independence and Civil War era, and the Colonel James Fitzmaurice Collection.

The Ivo de Vesci Collection consists of approximately 4000 images captured between 1900 and 1957. Ivo was a prolific photographer and visually recorded all aspects of his life, including family, society, foreign travel and estate management. The collection, which spans over five decades, captures a period in which the local, social, political and economic landscape of Ireland was changing rapidly.

The Laois County Librarian is Bernie Foran.

“Continued support from the Creative Ireland Programme in 2021 & 2022 has enabled Laois Local Studies to expand the digital archive, adding new material from our collection and collections held privately. The digital archive allows members of the public to share private records relevant to Laois local history without the obligation of outright donation. Thanks to the generosity and community spirit of local people we have acquired digitally material of great local and national value,” said Ms Foran

“On behalf of Laois County Council Library Service, I would like to acknowledge the generosity of Tom de Vesci in making this private collection available to the public for research and pleasure and the Heritage Council in supporting this digitisation project. A selection of the collection is available to view on the Laois Local Studies website and this online exhibition will be added to in the new year. The complete collection is available to the public in the Local Studies research room,” she said.

In recent years Local Studies has focused on acquiring Laois material relating to the revolutionary era. Recently we acquired digital copies of two prisoner autographs books and prisoner letters. Autograph books were popular among political prisoners in the revolutionary period.

The books contain entries made by fellow prisoners and usually include the prisoner’s name, location and dates of imprisonment. Thanks to the generosity of their family members we can now make available the prisoner autograph books of Patrick J. Bracken of the Laois Brigade IRA, 2nd Battalion, Clonaslee Company and Matt Bergin, Laois Brigade IRA, 3rd Battalion, Clough Company. Prisoner letters of William Spooner are currently being digitised. Images and further details will be available on the website in January 2023. Local Studies would like to thank Seamus Bracken, Colm O’Neill, Catherine Fitzpatrick, Peggy Bergin and the Spooner family for sharing their family archives.

Sinead Holland, Local Studies, Laois Library Service.

“Another unique digital collection added in 2022 is the Colonel James Fitzmaurice Collection. The collection contains newspapers and other archive material relating to the first east-west transatlantic flight in April 1928. The original collection belongs to Teddy Fennelly, well-known historian, aviation enthusiast and author of the book ‘Fitz and the Famous Flight.’

“Teddy has collected original material relating to the flight and Fitzmaurice for many years and has generously provided a digital copy of the collection to Laois Local Studies. The entire Colonel Fitzmaurice Collection can be viewed on the Local Studies website along with an article by Teddy on Fitzmaurice and his connection to Laois,” she said.

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Local Studies is currently located in Library Headquarters on Church Street but will move to a new state of the art facility on Portlaoise’s main street when the new public library is completed.

As part of the new branch Local Studies will offer longer and more accessible opening hours with greater space to accommodate all who wish to explore Laois history, genealogy and collections, whether for research or enjoyment.

To learn more about Local Studies and how you can donate or contribute to the digital archive, visit www.laoislocalstudies.ie or call Local Studies on 057 8689338