Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
Home from the trenches
On Tuesday night last, Lieut. Anderson (son of the President of University College, Galway) arrived home from the trenches for a brief holiday. Lieutenant Anderson joined the Connaught Rangers in October 1914, and after spending nearly twelve months in training, was sent to the fighting line in France, where he has been for the past three months and a half.
In the trenches, Lieutenant Anderson had been in charge of trench mortars. The famous battle of Loos had only been fought when he took his place in the firing line, and since then the fighting has been of an intermittent character, although not as severe as in the autumn.
The men, he says, are in fine condition, and are all confident of the result of the war.
The general health of the troops is very good. He met two Galway men, Lieut. Rowland and a soldier named Sullivan, of the Royal Engineers. The troops, he said, are well provided with newspapers, and follow the developments of the war on all fronts. Lieut. Anderson leaves again for the front on the 1st February.
Carpenters leave town
A statement was made at a recent meeting of the City branch of the Town Tenants Association that a certain firm (whose name was not given) had refused an order for the making of ammunition boxes in Galway, and that several carpenters had to leave the town in consequence.
Messrs. Thomas McDonogh and Sons inform us that they quoted for, and went to some considerable trouble to obtain, the order for ammunition boxes, but so far it has not come their way. When it does, they will be only too happy to execute it. Meanwhile, no carpenters have left their employment.
1941
New regional hospital
Plans for Galway’s new regional hospital are now ready, the Mayor, Alderman J.F. Costello, H.C., told members of Galway Corporation.
“It may be said that building at the present time is out of the question,” said the Mayor, “but a start could be made clearing the space and preparing the ground for the new building.
“It would be of incalculable value to the unemployed, as you all know, conditions in the city were never so bad.”
Mr. Young agreed that the question of the new hospital was very important. A few days ago, he said, a ‘plane came down in Cork. A similar thing could happen in Galway.
“If a ‘plane fell in a city, considerable destruction would be done to property and many people would likely be injured. If something like that happened in Galway, there is no place to which the injured could be removed for treatment. There is no room in the present hospital.
Air raid danger
At a meeting of Galway Corporation, County Commissioner Mr. C.I. O’Flynn said: “It will be appreciated that if we should become involved in hostilities, or even if there should be isolated air raids such as those which occurred in Dublin and some of the eastern counties, damage might be caused to water mains and sewerage pipes, and if the necessary pipes are not now provided for the repair of any damage done, difficulty may be experienced in obtaining the pipes at a later date.”
More bad meat
The seizure of meat at Galway abattoir on five occasions during the past month and its destruction on the grounds that it was unfit for human food was also reported to the meeting. The County Medical Officer of Health stated in his report that the veterinary Inspector made nine periodic surprise visits to the abattoir and made ante and post mortem examinations of all animals and carcases on the premises on each occasion.
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.
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
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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
