Mapping city, town and country since 1824: the Ordnance Survey in Ireland - RIA Library/IHTA Lunchtime Lectures See accompanying powerpoint presentation. Day describes the work of the OS and in particular, of the Hill Drawing and Topographical Departments. She refers to the intellectual breadth of Colby and Larcom, the two key drivers of the Survey in Ireland and their connections with the main intellectual societies in Britain and Europe. The role played by the Irish Survey vis-à-vis the Trigonometrical Survey of India, led by George Everest, is discussed. The military training included drawing skills and some of the major exponents of artistic endeavour in the military wing of the OS are presented. Finally, the 1,600 drawings contained in the OS Memoirs are discussed in terms of their content, level of skill and their role in the Survey.

1. Glimpses of Ireland’s Past
The Ordnance Survey Memoir Drawings:
topography and technique
Angélique Day
22 October 2014

2. Mrs Brigid Dolan

3. 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

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

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

6. The Ordnance Survey in Ireland
and 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)

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

8. 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.

9. Thomas Aiskew Larcom

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

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

12. 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.

13. Antrim, showing Massereene bridge
by James Boyle [1838]

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

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

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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. Wooden instrument found in Derrykeighan by John Bleakly, March 1838

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