Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
Galway as naval base
Yesterday (Thursday) morning the police at Galway were notified “to hold themselves in readiness” to warn all non-combatants to move inland in the event of an enemy raid on the coast-line.
Our City Reporter states that he is informed on reliable authority that sixteen converted armoured steam trawlers are being sent to Galway as a base from which to guard the coast-line. Possibly Galway will be constituted one of the Irish naval bases.
It is understood that the Admiralty has decided to establish at Galway, for the present at any rate, a base for coastal patrol boats and mine-sweepers. Synchronising as it does with the warning to the population of coast towns, to be prepared to move inland under the directions of the authorities in the case of an enemy raid, the announcement would seem to possess some significance.
During the past month, various Admiralty craft have occasionally been seen in the Bay. It is likely that the City will be used as a supply base.
Already, Lieutenant Holmes, R.N.R., has arrived in Galway, and it is understood that the preliminary arrangements are in his hands.
The possibilities of an invasion are practically negligible. The only military purpose a raid on the West coast of Ireland could serve would be to “draw off” important fighting units of the British Grand Fleet; but before the raid could take place, some German battle cruisers would first have to get clear of the Fleet and minefields, and sail round the north coast of Scotland.
There remains, of course, the possibility of a raid by Taube or Zeppelin. Such a raid on Ireland would be the biggest of the many big blunders that Germany has yet made and it is most unlikely that a madcap enterprise of the kind will ever be undertaken against this country.
1940
Curse of modern life
“The curse of modern life is a long engagement before marriage. Sometimes the girl is brought to ruin and destruction, and frequently she is jilted for some younger and more attractive person.”
This statement was made by Very Rev. Canon Davis, P.P., St. Joseph’s (Rahoon), Galway, during the course of a sermon delivered at Mass on Sunday.
Speaking on the importance of marriage, Very Rev. Canon Davis said: “In other countries, Italy, France and German, so important is the regard for population that marriage has been subsidised by the State and a remedy must also be found in this country. The wealth of any country is its population, and the empty cradle is the curse of our State at the present time.”
The Home Front
Editorial
The advice of Mr. Patrick Hogan, the late Minister for Agriculture, never applied to this country with such force as it does to-day. Mr. Hogan was never tired of giving the farmers of Ireland, of whose troubles and difficulties he had practical experience, the advice to have “one more cow, one more sow and one more acre under the plough”.
By this means the wealth of the country could be increased in the most immediate and effective way, the standard of life of the farming community raised, and our self-dependence rendered almost impregnable.
What is the economic position of Eire to-day? Have we sufficient feeding stuffs to carry us through the period of a prolonged war? Can we obtain seeds to grow more crops in the season that lies ahead?
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
1923
Gloom after war
The special correspondent of the “Independent”, who has been writing of the aftermath of civil war in the West, notes that a feeling of apathy, due to the uncertainty of events, exists amongst the sorely-tried people of Connemara; that politics are referred to only with disgust and that not more than fifty per cent. of the people would vote at a general election; that poverty and unemployment are rife, and there is a growing tendency towards emigration; and that there are bitter complaints of the huge impost of rates and taxes.
It is only too true that there is enough of material for the pessimist to brood over, and that a feeling of gloom permeates country towns. But it is a poor tribute to patriotism that has survived such horrors to encourage this gloom.
It is the duty of all of us to get this pessimism out of the national body and to rid ourselves of the notion that we have not enough Christianity and moral sense left to restore our people to cheerful and ordered progress and industry.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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1923
Peace negotiations
As we go to press, An Dáil is discussing the Peace negotiations between the Government and Mr. de Valera. It was announced on Wednesday for the first time that such negotiations were begun following Mr. de Valera’s “cease fire” proclamation of April 27, and that by the 30th of the month Senators Andrew Jameson and James Douglas were asked by him to discuss proposals.
They said it was for the Government to discuss; they could only confer. Into the ensuring conferences the Government declined to enter personally, but on May 3 the senators placed before Mr. de Valera the Cabinet’s terms, which were that future issues should be decided by the majority vote of the elected representatives of the people, and that as a corollary and a preliminary to the release of prisoners, all lethal weapons should be in the custody and control of the Executive Government.
Mr. de Valera relied to this on May 7 with a document in which he agreed to majority rule and control of arms, but added that arms should be stored in a suitable building in each province under armed Republican guard until after the elections in September, that the oath should not be made a test in the councils of the nation, and that all political prisoners should be released immediately on the signing of this agreement.
“You have brought back to us,” wrote President Cosgrave, “not an acceptance of our conditions, but a long and wordy document inviting debate where none is possible”.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
1923
State of the parties
Speculation as to parties after the next Irish elections is exceedingly interesting, especially in view of the enlarged franchise.
In Dublin, the view appears to be held by a number of people that Labour will make a great bid for power.
Dublin, however, has a curiously insular habit of thought where matters that concern all Ireland and in which Ireland has a say are concerned. We hope this insularity will rapidly disappear under the new conditions.
The country as a whole is backing the Farmers’ Party, and has not the smallest doubt that it will be the strongest combination in the next Dáil, and that it will oust the purely political parties, the one because it has resorted to force, the other because it has been compelled to use force to supress force, and the Labour Party because Ireland feels that at the back of its policy lurks the danger of Communism.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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