Second historical society lecture

The lounge of Carmel Gaffney"s pub on Main Street, Delvin will be a hive of activity again on February 19, when the second Delvin Historical Society lecture takes place at 8pm.Last month, the society"s inaugural lecture attracted a crowd of over seventy people, as former Chief Archaeologist with Dúchas, David Sweetman, produced a fascinating presentation about Anglo-Norman castles in Trim and its surrounding districts.In February it"s the turn of well known Castlepollard scholar, historian Micheál Ó Conluain, who is a highly respected member of Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.On April 23 of last year, Micheál drew the crowds in Mullingar for a lecture on the transportation of persons from Westmeath to Australia in the mid-19th century, and on Thursday night, he will adapt his original lecture for a Delvin audience.Several Delvin transportations will be examined, an example being the case of one William Neill, a sixteen year old from Delvin who was transported for seven years for 'stealing from the police barracks in Castletown Delvin, a pair of drawers' in 1852.The entrance fee for the forthcoming lecture will be €3, and it is hoped that there will be a good local crowd, as well as a number of people from Westmeath and Meath.For the inaugural lecture, the society was delighted to welcome people from as far afield as Clonard, Trim and Enfield, and on this occasion, it is hoped that there will be a good balance of visitors from Mullingar and beyond.All are welcome, and after Thursday night"s lecture, prospective members of the society will have an opportunity to set up a membership subscription for the year. The membership fees - decided at a meeting of the committee on Thursday last - are €20 for an individual adult, €30 for a family and €10 for senior citizens and students.The fee will cover entrance into lectures for the year, and bus fares for forthcoming trips.The committee - which includes John Gavin (Honorary President), Eamon Clancy (Chairman), Bernie Clancy (Secretary) and Paul Hughes (Treasurer) - is eager to get people on board to increase local awareness about the history of Delvin and its surrounding districts.A series of interesting lectures are being planned to take members up to July, when the tour season will start. A DHS website is also at the planning stage.Underage GAA QuizThe Delvin GAA Underage Committee are organising a table quiz for Friday, February 27 in Carmel Gaffney"s, in a bid to raise funds to purchase new equipment for the 2009 season.Tables of 4 cost €40 for adults and €20 for juveniles, and the Committee hopes that all supporters, especially those with juvenile members, can come along and give their support on the night. The quiz kicks off at 9pm.Clonmellon payphone earmarked for removalThe phonebox at the exchange in Clonmellon is also among the list of eircom phoneboxes scheduled for possible removal, pending a public consultation process which will take place over the next month.The payphone is one of 53 in Westmeath which eircom plans to remove in a cost-cutting measure.Prior to the removal of any payphone, eircom will commence a public consultation process. Removal notification notices will be placed on all targeted payphones for a minimum of six weeks. Additionally letters will be issued to all relevant Local Authorities informing them of the rationalisation programme in their area.Local residents and relevant authorities in Westmeath will be given an opportunity to submit their views in writing to eircom before March 16.All views received will be taken into account before a final decision is made on the removal of any payphone.Two payphones in the Delvin area have also been pencilled in for possible removal.