Galway In Days Gone By

1917

Duke’s bankruptcy

In the Bankruptcy Courts, Dublin, on Friday, before Mr. Justice Pim, the case of the Duke of Manchester, a bankrupt, was in the list on a motion directing the sale of chattels, etc., in Kylemore Castle, County Galway. The matter had been adjourned with a view to settlement between the two parties.

War diet

The L.G. Board wrote requesting the Oughterard Board of Guardians to have potatoes given to the inmates at dinner, and that porridge and milk be substituted at either breakfast or supper. It was agreed that porridge and milk was not substantial enough for the inmates in the morning, and they were getting potatoes already.

Grattan-Bellew estate

The tenants in the Moylough section of above estate will meet in Moylough on Sunday next, after last Mass, to consider what immediate stops they should take to speed up the vesting of the lands, and save the quarter per cent extra they have been paying for the last 10 or 12 years.

Scandalous streets

“A cattle dealer” writes drawing attention to the condition of the Athenry streets, and the manner in which they are kept, which he describes as “scandalous”. The system under which the streets are kept needs investigation.

Advert

Wanted immediately: 200 bricklayers for work at Liverpool. Wages 1s. 1½d per hour. Total hours over 72 per week, including Sundays. Free tickets to Liverpool by applying to any Labour Exchanges. Lodgings abundant. Trollope and Colls, New Factory, Aintree, Liverpool.

1942

Hairdressing rush

Madam Moran, hairdresser, Shop St., was charged at Galway District Court with breaches of the Shops Act 1938. Guard McGee said he visited the defendant’s premises at 2.30p.m. on Thursday, July 23rd, when the time for closing was 1pm. The defendant and her two assistants were working, and there were four customers present. There was no notice displayed as to the half-day closing hours.

Mr. F. Conway, solr., who defended, said this was the Thursday before the Races and it was customary for the defendant to keep her premises open on that day.

District Justice Burke dismissed the charge for failing to display the notice and fined the defendant 5s. in the other charge.

Men of steel

Despite the war – rather because of it – and a subsequent shortage of materials essential to their trade, one section of city workers at present are actually benefitting from circumstances created by the emergency. Galway’s “Men of Steel” who, even in the piping days of peace, often suffered through lack of employment, now have to work day and night in order to keep up production.

This new exemplification of the old adage “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good” was revealed to our reporter by a visit to the Galway Foundry and Engineering Company’s plant where 150 workers – an appreciable increase on the pre-war figure – are not only overcoming all sorts of difficulties, but are turning them to account as well.

The shortage of steel, instead of resulting in the discharge of old workers, has made the employment of extra men necessary, for the steel which used to be bought in the required sections before, now is replaced by old railway lines and pieces of scrap which first have to be cut by oxy-acetylene lamps and then shaped into such sections as are required by the trade.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.