Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1918
For the I.R.A.
The houses of MI. Collins, P. Reilly and P. Flaherty in Clonboo district, were entered by two armed and disguised men. The owners were told the surrender their arms, the raiders stating that they required them for the Irish Republican Army.
The raiders took away a shot gun out of each of the houses visited and fired shots on leaving. So terrified were the inmates to the house of Collins at the attitude of the raiders that his daughter, who had been in delicate health for some time, fainted, and did not regain consciousness for a considerable time.
The houses raided are in a very lonely part of the country, and a considerable distance from the public road. Active enquiries are being made by the police, but up to the present, no arrests have been made.
Daring sacrilege
The discovery was made on Saturday evening that the regimental colours of the Connaught Rangers had been stolen from the little Catholic Church attached to the depot at Renmore, Galway. Two flags, with their poles, were removed either on Thursday or Friday night. One belonged to the second Battalion and the other to the fourth (the old Boyle Militia), and they were consecrated by the Catholic Chaplain.
The police have made diligent investigations but have failed to find any clues. It is supposed that the perpetrators of the daring outrage removed the colours by gaining entry to the Church with a skeleton key.
1943
Turf dump
The turf dump in Eyre Square is going at last! It was placed there against the wishes of the citizens and the advice of the Mayor; it has been an eyesore since the Autumn of 1941; it caused a loss of some hundreds of pounds to the Corporation last year because the Square could not be let for amusements as usual during Race Week – and it has not been of the slightest benefit to the people of Galway.
Now, leaving some 800 tons of useless mould behind, the huge mass is being loaded at the adjacent stations en route to Dublin, having been sold by the County authorities to Irish Fuel importers at a figure which had not been mentioned, but which we are assured will safeguard the County Council against loss.
The first consignment was taken from the Square to the Galway railway station for transport to Dublin. The removal of the turf will proceed slowly – the work will extend over six weeks – for the reason that while the weather has brought about an improvement in the position with regard to supplies for Galway City, it is felt that some turf should remain on the Square a little longer as a safeguard against any further deterioration of the position.
Temperance drinks
Five local publicans were charged at Galway Court on Thursday before District Justice Mac Giollarnaith, with selling grape fruit crush and orange fruit crush which, on analysis, was found to be deficient in certain essentials. One defendant was also charged with selling custard powder which was found to contain mites.
In one case, Garda Lynch said the analyst’s certificate stated that it was an imitation of a well-known grape fruit crush which was no longer obtainable. The certificate, he said, stated that there was no genuine grape fruit in the sample.
Mrs Bridget Whelan, Woodquay, was charged with selling “Regent Creamy Custard” powder, which on analysis, was found to be contaminated with mites.
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.
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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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