Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1914
Battle of Mons
Private Duffy, of the Connaught Rangers, has come home to Galway, suffering from wounds sustained at Mons. He was engaged with his regiment, when he was struck on the hip by a portion of a spent shell.
The Connaughts, he said, arrived in France on the 15th August, and they were in action nine days later.
“We were not unduly rushed to the front, but were told that the French and Belgian armies needed reinforcements and we were not slow in moving forward.”
Prince of Wales Fund
Already distress is making itself felt in the city, as is apparent to even the most casual observer, and it is to be hoped, therefore, that the Committee formed to control the Prince of Wales’ Fund will take immediate steps to utilise the fund to the best advantage, and establish an organisation, the machinery of which will be entirely adequate to meet the needs of the city, and prevent complaints.
Complaints have reached us that, although the Fund has been distributed elsewhere, Galway has been behind in reaping any advantage. The Fund, it should be noted, is not confined to those who have relatives at the war, but it is for the benefit of anyone who is suffering from the effects of the war.
1939
The blackout effect
The blackout was the first drastic reminder people had of the outbreak of hostilities, and at first this caused some inconvenience to shoppers and pedestrians in Ballinasloe. It has now within the past week been taken as a matter of course, and business and private houses have cooperated in every way in complying with the order.
It is, however, in a few weeks hence, when winter time begins and the dark nights approach, that the full effects of the blackout restrictions will be felt by those attending fairs and markets, and especially in business houses.
Already it has been noticed that people are not inclined to remain outdoor as late as before the coming of the blackout, and business at markets and fairs are, as a consequence, expedited, and people from rural areas return home earlier.
State of panic
There was pandemonium on the Bundoracha side of Killary Bay last week, when a large metal object was seen floating in the sea a short distance from the shore. Cattle and sheep were removed from the vicinity and local inhabitants were in a state of dread,
A playboy in the crowd that watched the object from a distance identified it as a harmless buoy. Keeping his knowledge to himself, he procured a .22 rifle and informed the panic-stricken bystanders that he was about to fire at the “mine” and explode it.
“Evacuation” of the threatened area was carried out immediately and the crowd went scurrying up the hillside to take cover. With bated breath, they watched the playboy advance to the shore with his rifle.
Slowly and deliberately, he took aim and fired. Of course, he missed twice to prolong the agony and the “mine” was within a few yards of the shore when he hit it.
When it failed to explode, the playboy went one better by wading out and rolling the “mine” ashore. Even then he found it hard to convince the crowd that the thing was harmless.
For more, read this week’s 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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