Historic commemoration unveiling to take place in Shannonbridge

The unveiling of a commemoration board to mark the 150th anniversary of the Great Tenant Right Meeting held in Shannonbridge will take place outside the village playground on Saturday, August 29, at 8.45pm.

Organised by Offaly History, the commemoration board will detail information of a public meeting held in Shannonbridge in 1876 to promote the Ballinasloe Tenants Defence Association which was formed to agitate for the rights of smallholders in West Offaly, East Galway and South Roscommon.

Over 3,000 were in attendance at the public meeting in Shannonbridge and three years later, following poor harvests, the Land League was launched into which the Ballinasloe Tenants Defence Association was incorporated.

Shannonbridge trio Matt Harris, William Kilroe and Michael Reddy all played leading roles in the organisation's activities within the West Offal locality.