Glimpses of Ireland’s Past The Ordnance Survey Memoir Drawings:

topography and techniqueAngélique Day

22 October 2014

Mrs Brigid Dolan

President Mary McAleese arriving at the Royal Irish Academy, 28 September,1998 Secretary of the RIA left of her, Patrick Buckley, Brian Walker (IIS) on her near

right, and Dr Michael Herity (President of the Academy) on her far right

Royal Irish Academy, 28 September 1998The launch of volume 40 Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland

Belfast Barracks, 1835 by Lieut George Napier.(Taken from ..Ireland ed. William Laffan, (2006)

The Ordnance Survey in Irelandand the Ordnance Survey Memoirs

• ‘This great national work’ Report from the select committee on the survey and valuation of Ireland (1824)

• ‘This great and comprehensive thought, this truly imperial idea’ Dr William Stokes in his Life… of Petrie (1868)

Thomas Colby (1784-1852)Director of Ordnance Survey of Ireland, 1824-47

Thomas Aiskew Larcom (1801-1879)Assistant director of Ordnance Survey in Ireland 1828-48; census commissioner

1841;Famine Relief Commission 1846; Board of Works 1846-9; Under-secretary for Ireland under Lord Aberdeen 1853-68.

Thomas Aiskew Larcom

George Petrie (1790-1866), artist and antiquarian/archaeologist worked on OS 1833 to c.1843

John O’Donovan (1806-61), Irish scholar worked on OS from 1830 (temporarily suspended 1833 for 6 months) to 1840.

James Henthorn Todd (1805-69), librarian and scholar, founder of the school St Columba’s, helped Larcom to ensure that the Ordnance Survey Memoir

manuscripts were preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin.

Antrim, showing Massereene bridge by James Boyle [1838]

Round tower [in Inniskeen] by Lieut R. Boteler [1835]

A very good sketch of Station Island in Lough Derg by Lieut William Lancey, Nov. 1835

Fair sheets illustrating crosses in Bonamargy Abbey by Thomas Fagan, 1838

Penannular brooch by John Stokes, drawn in 1838, found in Ballymena but not mentioned in text; later owned by George Benn who presented it to the

BNHPS and later went into the Ulster Museum collection

Gold gorget found in Rosegarland [Rosgarran] in 1833 drawn by Charles W. Ligar, 21 June 1836 . Found by Robert McCanary (Desertmartin) who sold it to Robert Ogilby of Pellipar.

Then lent to the Royal Irish Academy and later presented by George Greene MRIA with outer edge cut off (1 dwt.) Now in the National Museum of Ireland.

Wooden instrument found in Derrykeighan by John Bleakly, March 1838

Wooden article [found in bog near Magheradonnell, Derrykeighan gaming board] by John Bleakly, March 1838 and collected by him