Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1914
Reprehensible Tuam assault
At Tuam Petty Sessions, Mr. Comerford, D.I., summoned Wm. Jordan, Barrack-street, for assaulting John Ruane, Galway road, Tuam.
Constable Colleran deposed that on June 11th he was on duty at half-past two at the Square he saw the defendant strike Ruane with an ash plant. Ruane had his hand raised to ward off the blow. Ruane’s hat was cut, apparently the result of a blow to the head.
John Ruane, the assaulted man, stated there was an argument in progress between the defendant and another man, and witness spoke to the latter not to mind defendant, who was drunk. Defendant then hit him a blow on the head with an ash plant. He also struck him on the arm. He did not give the defendant any provocation.
Mr. E.J. Concannon deposed that the first thing he saw the defendant doing was making a vicious blow at Ruane, who was not saying anything to him.
“I never saw a more audacious or blackguardly attempt to injure an old man, who is between eighty and ninety years of age. It was the most blackguardly thing I ever saw.”
Mr. Concannon stated the defendant was going round the town the whole morning looking for a fight until he met the unfortunate man Ruane, who was unable to defend himself.
Sergt. Martin said the defendant was a hard working man in a general dealer’s business. He was on the road every day. He was in the habit of taking and keeping the pledge for twelve months. When he began drinking, he continued until he had all his money spent. When drinking he was not responsible for anything he did. There was nothing against him except charges of drunkenness.
The Bench having consulted, the Chairman announced that the defendant was convicted of a most reprehensible and blackguardly assault on an old man.
If he (Chairman) was acting by himself, he would inflict a heavier sentence than he was about to announce. The sentence of the court was that he be imprisoned for three weeks, at the end of which he should enter into a bond to be of good behaviour for twelve months.
1939
Sheer blackguardism
“It is nothing but sheer, downright blackguardism the manner in which some of the young men – and young ladies, too – create a disturbance going home at night from the dances held here,” said Mr. D.J. O’Connor, when he addressed six hundred dancers at the conclusion of a most enjoyable dance held in the Pavilion, Salthill, on Sunday night.
“Numerous complaints have been made to the licencee of the Pavilion, Mr. Thos. O’Toole, and to myself by a number of respected citizens of Galway and Salthill of the conduct of certain young men going home from dances.
Complaints have also been made to the Gardai. I know some of the offenders, and it would give me the greatest pleasure to supply their names to the Gardai. I do, however, make this last appeal to you, and I ask you to please return home from dances in a mannerly fashion.”
Ready for the Races
For the past three months Messrs. John McNally and Co., the well-known Galway contractors, have been busily engaged in erecting a new modern roof stand at the famous Galway racecourse at Ballybrit to the plans of Mr. R.G. Emerson, architect, Taylor’s Hill.
This is but one of the numerous improvements upon which the Race Committee has entered in preparation for the annual meeting which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, August 2 and 3, and the total cost of this year’s extensions alone amounts to nearly £5,000.
The new roof to the concrete stand is of reinforced concrete, and is 57 yards in length, affording accommodation for 1,000 people. In addition to a complete view of the course from start to finish, it also affords a wide survey of Galway Bay, the Aran Islands and the Clare hills.
The carpark leading to the enclosure has been extended considerably, and will now afford accommodation for 4,000 vehicles, while the enclosure itself has been extended to a quarter of a mile.
A novel innovation is a ladies’ park, which has been built at the Galway end, with a rock garden in the centre, flower beds, seats and a cocktail bar.
The stake for the Galway Plate this year will be over £1,000.
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
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.
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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