Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
New conditions of living
In the popular mind this is generally regarded as one of the severest winters witnessed by the present generation. It is pretty difficult to appraise how far the severe weather, the prevailing conditions in regard to foodstuffs, and the gloom of war, or all three combined, have been responsible for this outlook.
The weather, no doubt, has been exceptionally severe, and, so far as the poor are concerned, its severity has been accentuated by the increased prices demanded for coal and foodstuffs.
In low-lying districts, the floods have been abnormal, and many acres have been inundated for considerable periods. In Galway City, there has been a regular epidemic of influenza, and scarcely anyone has escaped a cold of some sort.
Stricken with fear
At a meeting of the South Galway Executive, United Irish League, Mr. William J. Duffy, M.P. said: “Every man I meet and speak to is horrified and stricken with fear and apprehension at the nature and possible consequences of this terrible war which is being waged today at the cost of life and limb, and at a waste of public treasure – so huge, so enormous, so far beyond the power of our limited intelligence to grasp or measure – that the whole world stands aghast and is horrified.
“Already, every class in the community are contributing their share towards the cost of this war. You don’t feel it in the country; you are passing through a period of abnormal and unexpected prosperity, but the lack of employment, the closing down of public works, and the enormous increase in the price of all foodstuffs is tightening the belt fearfully on the stomachs of our poor townspeople (applause).
“At such a terrible hour in the life of our country, absolutely without precedent in the history of the world, I confess it is impossible to keep one’s patience with those thoughtless and misguided people who shriek out cries of antagonism and hostility to England and her Allies in the successful termination of this devastating, destroying war.”
1941
World’s greatest curse
“The greatest damn curse that ever came on the world,” is how Mr. Sean O’Kelly, Gurtray, Portumna, described the motor car when, accompanied by Mr. Paddy Collins, Menlough, he appeared before the County Council on Saturday with a request from Clann na Talmhan that an effort should be made to make the main roads safe for horse traffic.
Mr. O’Kelly said that agitation for the roughening of road surfaces for horse traffic had been going on for the past two years. Not merely stock, but human life was in danger on the main roads today.
Many of the roads were like glass and people found it difficult to get to the markets. If there was a skin of ice on these roads, travel would be impossible.
The County Surveyor promised a couple of years ago to use a coarse chip with tar on these roads. That was done, but two months afterwards, the roads were as bad as ever.
The farmers, he said, felt that money was being spent entirely on motors. Motors were now a thing of the past, thank God. They were the greatest damn curse that ever came on the world.
Ambulances short
“During the past few days I have received over half-a-dozen telephone messages from dispensary doctors telling me that they have no petrol. They must think that I am manufacturing petrol here,” said Mr. Sean Gallagher, Secretary, at a meeting of the Galway County Board of Health.
The Secretary added that they could not get sufficient petrol even for the ambulances. “Our usual allowance was 355 gallons per month. Last month, we got only 100 gallons.”
The Secretary was instructed to send a telegram to the Minister for Supplies stating that the Board took a very serious view of the medical services in the county owing to the shortage of petrol, especially as there was influenza in various districts in the county.
“I have two new initials,” remarked Mr. Gallaher. “They are N.P. – no petrol.”
Tuam pollution
A denial that the pollution of the Galway water supply was due to the effluent from the Tuam Beet Factory was contained in a letter from Mr. T.A. O’Donoghue, solr. to Comhlucht Suicre na hEireann, which was read at Thursday’s meeting of the Galway Corporation.
Mr. O’Donoghue stated that the effluent was treated and that if the water was polluted, the pollution was due to other causes.
Samples taken in Middle-street and Newtownsmith were reported by the bacteriologist, Dr. T. Walsh, to be usable, but the sample taken from the main at Eyre Square was contaminated.
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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