Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
Terrific storm
All last week, and for a greater portion of this week, the gale which swept all over Ireland blew with terrific force in Galway City. At times, indeed, it was with difficulty that pedestrians ventured on the streets.
In Bridge-street, some electric wires were broken as a result of the storm. The Corrib, owing to the torrential rains which accompanied the gale, rose to an abnormal extent.
In the Bay, choppy seas prevailed, which rendered it dangerous for the pookauns trading along the coast. The material damage done on the whole was small, and the people of Galway have reason to be grateful for this fact.
Motor accident
On Sunday last, a serious motor accident which took place in Shop-street as a result of which, a little girl’s life was seriously endangered.
The facts are as follows: about 12.30p.m., the motor in question, which is the property of Dr. R.B. Mahon, Nile lodge, was being driven along Shop-street by Dr. Mahon’s chauffeur, a man named John Crean, when the child in question, Josephine Dolan, of Bowling Green, was in the act of crossing the road.
Before the car could have pulled up, she was struck and knocked down, becoming unconscious. The chauffeur immediately placed her in the car and drove to the County Hospital, where she was detained. As we go to press, we learn that the little girl is progressing favourably.
1941
Prepared for attack
Galway Corporation on Thursday expressed indignation and resentment at the allegation made at the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Galway County Council to the effect that they were doing nothing to protect the citizens in case of attack from the air.
It was pointed out that the Corporation were vitally interested in this matter, but that they were debarred from building up an A.R.P. scheme [Na Seirbhise Reamhcuraim in Aghaidh Aer-Ruathar, which enforced blackout regulations] inasmuch as the A.R.P. powers for the city, as well as for the county, were vested in the County Council and not the Corporation.
The Mayor, Ald. J.F. Costello, H.C., read a statement vindicating the Corporation. He said that at the County Council meeting the Corporation was made the scapegoat for matters over which they had no control, and this was a poor conception of how to prepare for an emergency.
It was decided to ask the Regional Commissioner to vest A.R.P. powers for the city in the Corporation.
Boil water notice
No reply has yet been received by the Galway Corporation to their appeal to the Local Government Department for approval of the completion of the Rishworth plan for the provision of a full and pure water supply for the city, and financial aid for the work.
Prof. F.S. Rishworth, Consulting Engineer in regard to the comprehensive water supply scheme for the city, wrote stating that he considered it essential to put in the main across the river at Terryland and the reservoir at Clifton Hill to supply the western part of the town at the same time as the filtration plant was bring installed.
Dr. B. O’Beirne, County Medical Officer, wrote stating that the citizens should be advised to continue boiling the water.
Mayor: We will get plenty of publicity from the Press about that matter.
Mr. Faller: The Press are always looking for headlines.
Grow wheat campaign
300,000 acres of wheat more than were grown in 1940 will be required to meet the national bread supply, according to a statement made by Mr. Lemass, Minister for Supplies, in a letter to every member of Dáil Éireann, inviting active cooperation in the “grow more wheat campaign”.
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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