Galway In Days Gone By

1920

Dire city roads

The state of the roads within the borough boundary has become a by-word and a reproach. The surface is altogether worn away, and our principal public highways are intersected with deep water channels and dotted all over with dangerous pot holes.

The Urban Councillor who had the hardihood to declare that the road to Salthill was in good condition must never have mounted a bicycle or sat on a car or motor. Had he done so, he would speedily have discovered that the condition of the roads within the boundary bears most unfavourable comparison with the county roads.

The latter have improved in leaps and bounds in recent years. However much our country cousins may depreciate smooth highways for rubber tires, few can appreciate a good surface for horses and carts as they do. The county officials realise this fact and turn it to account by giving excellently-surfaced roads for the expenditure.

In the city it is far otherwise. Discussions on the roads do not seem to serve any purpose. Decisions are never translated to action. Where an attempt is made to fulfil instructions, it is only of the most half-hearted description and the work appears to be relinquished altogether on the smallest excuse. That essential quality of stick-to-itiveness seems altogether lacking.

The result is deplorable highways which, it is safe to say, could scarcely be exceeded for their bumpiness in any town in Europe.

Draining the Swamp

The reclamation of the Swamp is one of the few encouraging marks of recent progress. With a little improvement added year by year, it would now have been available to the citizens as a profit-bearing venue for sporting and other fixtures.

All things local, however, appear to suffer from a lack of continuity of effort. Some project is started and abandoned within sight of completion. Public attention is diverted elsewhere.

We do not wish to revive unpleasant memories, but we do wish to congratulate the Urban Council upon deciding to utilise the South Park money for the purpose for which it was intended and to proceed with the work without delay.

Work is necessary in Galway. The money was obtained for the express purpose of providing work and improving South Park. We would add a note of helpful criticism.

Why obscure the view of the Bay by a high wall when a high railing would be much more artistic and would serve the purpose intended? Mr. Binns’ estimate of £600 for the erection of the wall is unlikely to be realised in practice, and we fancy – subject to the correction of experts – that a suitable railing would be erected more cheaply.

At any rate, it would preserve one of the prettiest views in the city, and would enable a “gate” to be made when necessary.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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.