Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1917
Extraordinary evidence
Most extraordinary evidence was given at Ballinasloe Petty Sessions on Saturday in the case of Thomas G. Butler against Wm. Hastings, “Western News”, for alleged assault. There was an application to have the latter bound to the peace.
The Chairman (Mr. J. Byrne, R.M.) said he did not see much difference between the two men. The complainant gave some amazing evidence. He states that on the 14th April, his attention was attracted by seeing Hastings in earnest conversation with a man named Gibbs, who is a local fortune teller and palmist (laughter).
When witness was about to pass by the door, Hastings, who appeared to be highly excited or intoxicated, fell against Gibbs, who stumbled sideways, after which they both burst into loud laughter. After an interval, he heard Gibbs say “There is another of the stufi.” Hastings, who replied with a malicious and sardonic grin, said: “Yes, that is ‘Quilp’, the drunken cripple” and they both laughed loudly. Witness denied he was ever in the workhouse.
Hastings became violently vexed, and used several bad expressions towards him. Hastings soon afterwards made a full “drop-kick” at witness’s abdomen, which witness stopped. The assault proved most ineffective in its object, and it was intended to cripple him by giving him “the foreign knock-out” (laughter).
The cross-case was then gone into, and Hastings stated he was at his own door with Mr. Gibbs, who was his special reporter (laughter). Butler came along, and got his back to the lamp-post opposite and called witness a b…… old swine, and said that he got his (witness’s) recognisances estreated that day. Butler was full of drink, but not completely drunk (laughter). After being subjected to foul, filthy and abominable language, he told Butler to go away, but he would not.
After cross-examination, during which Mr. Hastings said his wife was not in the North Dublin Union, but in Heaven, he hoped, to which Butler replied, if such was the case, she must not be there very long. The Chairman said that both cases would be dismissed, as honestly, he could not see much difference between the two men.
1942
Dublin know-alls
Galway County Council on Saturday decided to ask the Government for an Emergency Order to enable the Council to improve the stop-end roads so that farmers who had lands beside such roads could get food to the markets. A big percentage of the nation’s food was produced in the out-of-the-way places, declared Mr. T. King, and he felt that the civil servants – “the know-alls in Dublin” – had not the slightest idea of the difficulties that faced the people on the stop-end roads.
Mr. T. King: “The evil of invasion is possible, but the evil of starvation is definitely certain and I do not see why they should not make an Emergency Order to permit improvements to those stop-end roads adjoining which a big percentage of our food is produced by people who are not depending on oil, rubber or petrol to bring their produce to the markets.
“Those civil servants and officials – those know-alls in the Department – have not the slightest idea of the difficulties under which the people on the stop-end roads live.”
Food inspectors swoop
A “swoop” by inspectors from the Department of Supplies which took place in Galway City last January, led to the appearance before District Justice Mac Giollarnath on Thursday of thirteen local shopkeepers charged with offences against an Emergency Powers Order by overcharging for tea, candles, coffee, cocoa, oatmeal and condensed milk. In some cases, there was also a charge of selling to unregistered customers. Fines were imposed ranging from five shillings to forty shillings.
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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