Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1920
Shadow over Christmas
The suspicion of irony is inseparable from the Christmas wish this year. Nevertheless, although cynics may complain that to wish the Irish people a happy Christmas in the circumstances sounds suspiciously like whistling in a cemetery, we must abide by the time-honoured tradition, and, in conveying the old, old greeting, couple it with the fervent prayer that the shadow hanging over the country during this season may quickly pass.
Man’s chief happiness in this world consists in the power “to do proper things” – in other words, in the power to do his duty as he conceives it in the light of the message that was brought to the cradle in Bethlehem twenty centuries ago.
Ireland is essentially a land of peace. If the shadow of militarism were once lifted, we believe there is a great future before our people.
In this hope, at least, we can get a distant glimpse of happiness, however gloomy the outlook at the moment.
As we repair our altars and hearths, let the spirit of the season inspire our thoughts and actions, and let our fervent pray or be that the end of Ireland’s long-drawn out agony is at hand.
Island ‘round-up’
Two men were shot dead on the hills beyond Kilronan, Aran Islands, during a “round-up” there in the early hours of Sunday morning, when 250 men in full war equipment took up positions on the heights, whilst the village was being searched.
At ten o’clock on Saturday night a full mixed party of police and military in full war equipment with machine guns embarked on a cruiser at Galway, and steamed at full speed for the Middle Island of Aran, in Galway Bay.
During the darkness of the night, shortly after the moon had set, the cruiser landed the party on the island. Armed men silently took up positions on the hills overlooking the sleeping town, whilst others proceeded to search for men who are “wanted” or were supposed to be “on the run” there.
Some men were captured in the search; others are stated to have escaped in the night, which was dark and foggy.
In the morning the sentinels upon the hills saw men coming towards them. It appears that fire was opened. One man is said to have dashed through a veritable hail of bullets. He was pursued, and, putting up his hands, surrendered and was taken captive.
Two men, however, were shot dead in, it is stated, attempting to escape on the hills about two miles beyond Kilronan.
Eleven prisoners were taken to Galway on the destroyer, and have been lodged in the recent established internment camp at the Town Hall. It is stated that others were wounded during the firing, which appears to have taken place at intervals from dawn until mid-day on Sunday.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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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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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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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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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.
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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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