Galway In Days Gone By

1916

Farmers victimised

Three daring shooting outrages are reported to have occurred on Friday night in the neighbourhood of Loughgeorge, Galway. The dwelling houses of three farmers were in each case attacked, gunshots being fired in through the kitchen, parlour and bedroom windows.

In the house of Thomas Caulfield, Ballymoneen, Michael Brannelly and Thomas Lardiner, Cregmore, three, four and five shots, respectively, were fired and the glass completely broken.

It is alleged as a motive for the outrages that the parties supplied farm produce to a local gentleman looked on by a section of the public as unpopular in the district.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with the shootings in the Loughgeorge sub-district.

The only motive alleged for these wanton outrages is that the parties recently sold turnips and other farm products to Mr. Frank Shaw-Taylor, Moorpark, Athenry.

Ancient memorials

The recent death of Mrs. Kirwan, the owner of Lynch’s Castle, Galway, recalls the discussions that took place in archaeological circles some time ago.

A project was in contemplation to take over this relic of the past and preserve it as one of Galway’s ancient memorials. Some will say that, at a time when history is in the making before our eyes, when the fortunes of empires are resting upon shifting foundation, we should look at the present and to the future rather than on the past.

1941

Seed on credit

A scheme to enable farmers to get seed, wheat, seed oats, seed barley, seed potatoes and, if available, fertilizers on credit, was adopted by the Finance Committee of the Galway County Council. The benefits of the scheme will be open to all farmers who provide two approved sureties, each with a valuation of £10 or over.

The Council will pay cash down to the merchants who supply the seeds and fertilizers and will collect five per cent interest from the recipients on or before December 31st next.

Fuel shortages

Connemara seems to be facing one of the greatest emergencies in its history since the families. Less than two months ago, I wrote in this column that it would not require an invasion to bring this about; and now it appears that my statement was only too true.

The effects of the petrol restrictions have already been felt acutely in the outlying districts where temporary local famines for such essential supplies as flour, bread, and paraffin oil have been experienced during the past fortnight.

The Galway wholesale vans which supplied practically all the shops in the area have reduced or completely discontinued their Connemara journeys.

The same is true of the bread vans, and even the G.S.R. lorries do not appear to be making their usual runs. Every shop in the area usually dealt with a number of different wholesalers’ vans, buying small supplies two or three times a week, so that when the vans ceased to call, these shops were left with perhaps only one-third of a week’s supply.

Biscuits instead of bread

A member of the station party in one Connemara Garda barracks told me that they had nothing to eat with their breakfast and tea for the past week but biscuits. They had been depending on loaf bread and the bread vans let them down.

I have known many poor families in the Connemara area who, during the flour shortage last week, had not even biscuits, for the simple reason that they could not afford to buy them in sufficient quantities to take the place of bread.

Add to that the spectacle of the whole household down with the ‘flu and you have a picture of misery that requires no embellishment.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.