Galway In Days Gone By

1917

Britain’s best pickpocket

As a well-groomed man was entering a first-class carriage of the mail train at Galway station last evening, a plain clothes constable tipped him on the shoulder and handed him over to the authorities. “I’ve been after him for a month,” said the London detective.

“He’s the cleverest and most versatile pick-pocket in Great Britain. He can assume all sorts of disguises and concoct ingenius plans to raise crowds, whilst his accomplices do the operating amongst them. Twenty-one persons’ pockets were picked this morning when he was shamming to be a drunken man from Ballinrobe weeping after the departure of the summer.”

Gang steals rifle

Five young men (with their faces disguised) approached the house of a man named Wm. Oliver, who resides near Menlo, some few nights ago, and endeavoured to enter his orchard. Mr. Oliver told them men to move off, but this they refused to do and slightly assaulted him and his young son. Thinking he would frighten the party away, Mr. Oliver brought out his rifle, but as soon as he emerged from the house with this article in his possession, they immediately set upon him and took possession of the rifle, which has not since been found.

The weather

The unsettled weather still continues, and scarcely a day passes without rain falling copiously. Thursday night looked well, and there was a frosty appearance about the sky, but Friday morning again bought rain. It is stated by weather experts that September will turn out fine.

1942

Tobacco shortage

Bad weather coupled with an unusually acute shortage of tobacco and cigarettes has had a damping effect on spirits in Connemara for the past few weeks. On both sides of the Clifden streets, one sees a long row of notices informing all whom it may concern that there are “no cigarettes, no tobacco, or no matches.” Smokers, however, generally disregard these notices and almost invariably enter the shops to have the written information confirmed verbally by the shopkeepers.

Dean dies in church

While assisting the Rev. Mr. Smithwick, Rector, Nenagh, at the morning service at St. John’s Church, Ballinasloe, on Sunday, the Rev. Le B.H. ffrench, Rector of St. john’s, and Protestant Dean of Clonfert, collapsed and died.

Aged seventy-five, the late Dean ffrench was seventeen years Rector in Ballinasloe, before which he was Canon in Kilconnell. He had been home from a holiday in Galway only a few days when he died.

Rubber from the sea

“It is an ill wind that blows no one good,” and the winds of the past week have blown a large quantity of raw rubber in along the Connemara coast. It is stated that this last windfall will bring considerable relief to the country’s depleted stocks.

Election result

The final decision of the electors of Co. Galway regarding the composition of the next Co. Council was disclosed on Monday evening when the counting of votes of the votes, under the supervision of Mr. C.I. O’Flynn, Co. Commissioner and Returning Officer, concluded at the Town Hall, Galway. Only 58,317 of the 98,153 voters in Co. Galway went to the poll, and the decision of 57,064 – for 1,253 papers were spoiled – was that eighteen members of the old Council of forty should retain office and that thirteen new members should secure seats.

The Party representation on the new Council will be: Fianna Fáil, 12; Clann na Talmhan, 8; Fine Gael, 2; Independents, 5; Labour, 1; Ind. Farmer, 1; Ratepayers’ Association, 1; Ind. Republican, 1.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.