Galway In Days Gone By

1920

Providing excursions

It has always been a source of complaint against Galway that it provides no pleasurable excursions for tourists. We have frequently urged the co-operation of the principal hotels so that motor runs and other means of providing interest and amusement might be established to attract visitors.

But one speaks to empty sounding spaces in this respect in Galway. The one hopeful evidence of progress we have had in recent years is the Omnibus Company. Possessed, as it is now, of a double-decker and a single-decker ‘bus and a char-a-banc, the directors intend to utilise the latter for pleasurable runs around Galway at reasonable fares.

On Sunday afternoon last twenty-nine passengers enjoyed a trip to Oughterard, for which 6s. return fare was charged. The double-decker will reinforce the two other vehicles by June 1.

It is a pity the controllers could not see their way to reduce the fare from Galway to Salthill, which is probably higher than that charged by any similar company for a trip of equal length.

Whilst it would be reasonable to charge the present fare during Race Week, we think a means could be found to effect a small reduction for the rest of the year.

Hair sheared in attack

Another haircutting outrage took place in a village called Cushlough, Castlemoyle about five miles from Tuam on Sunday night.

At about 11.30 p.m. five men, absolute strangers in the neighbourhood, and wearing no disguise of any sort, casually raised the latch of the door of Mr. Wm. Mannion’s house. The lamp in the kitchen was in full glow and Mannion’s sons had just returned home.

The other occupants, Ms. A. Divine, her grandmother, and two old men, had retired for the night. The party asked the son if a girl named Annie Divine lived there. They were told she was in bed, and the room was pointed out.

One man held a revolver towards Mannion’s son, whilst two held his hands behind his back. The two men entered Miss Divine’s bedroom. Hearing her name mentioned she had by this time jumped up and sat on the side of the bed with a cloak around her.

One of the men produced a letter which he said was taken in the capture of the mail bags between Bantry and Bandon. It was addressed to her from an R.I.C. constable named Edward Daly, son of Mr. Patk. Daly, Birmingham, in the neighbourhood of Miss Divine’s place.

He had joined the R.I.C. about two years ago, and she was acquainted with him before that. The contents of the letter were read for Miss Divine, and she says there was no reference in it to Sinn Féin, except that he asked her if she was attending the dances at Addergoole Sinn Féin hall.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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