Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1920
Apathetic electorate
“Utter apathy” is the phrase that would best describe the attitude of the general public towards the Local government elections which will be held in June. Indeed, as far as County Galway is concerned, these elections are all but over.
Twelve members of the County Council have already been elected; only eight remain to be elected for the Galway and Connemara areas. Thus in three of the five county electoral areas there will be no contests.
In the Galway area there are six candidates for four seats; in the Oughterard (Connemara) area there are five candidates for four seats.
The most noteworthy feature of the county and rural elections is the disappearance out of public life of old and familiar figures. A few of those who had themselves nominated have since withdrawn.
Only stalwart fighters like Mr. Martin McDonogh remain to carry the contest to the polling booth.
Secret societies
Mr. A. Staunton (Chairman) presided at the weekly meeting of the Ballinasloe Urban Council on Tuesday evening, Mary 4. The other members present were: Messrs. J. Shaughnessy, F. Clayton, Craughwell, T. Derham, T. Murray, McDonnell, M. Connolly, Michl. Ryan, M. Nevin and Dr. Rutherford.
This was the first meeting to be held at the new hour – eight o’clock. The members assembled in committee at 7 o’clock to discuss an important question concerning the rents and tenants of the Council’s cottages.
The proceedings continued on to eight o’clock, when the estimate for the current year was also discussed in detail, but no decision was arrived at. The Press was not permitted to be present. The rate question was again gone into at the Council meeting proper, which was held at 8.30.
Mrs. Gavin was waiting from 7 until 8.30 with a view to asking the Council to provide a recreation ground for the town. When allowed into the council chamber, she indignantly said: “It is scandalous to keep ratepayers outside – they should be allowed to be present.”
Proceeding, Mrs. Gavin said she was kept waiting in the cold for an hour and a half, and it was the people who were saying rates should be allowed to be present.
“There should be no secret societies,” she asserted with great heat.
Chairman: The meeting should only start at 8 o’clock. – “There should be no secret societies behind the ratepayers’ back,” answered Mrs. Gavin. “Waiting for an hour and a half is uncalled for.”
The minutes having been read, Mrs. Gavin asked if there was anything regarding the deputation that was to wait on Mr. Davidson regarding the horse show grounds.
The Chairman said there was a letter from Mr. Davidson saying it was his recollection that the trustees of the Clancarty estate would not consent to the extension of the grounds for various reasons.
Mr. Ryan suggested that a point deputation from the Council and parties interested in town wait on Mr. Davidson. Mr Clayton seconded, the Chairman agreed, and this was the decision come to.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By
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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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By
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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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By
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.
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