Galway In Days Gone By

1916

New conditions of living

In the popular mind this is generally regarded as one of the severest winters witnessed by the present generation. It is pretty difficult to appraise how far the severe weather, the prevailing conditions in regard to foodstuffs, and the gloom of war, or all three combined, have been responsible for this outlook.

The weather, no doubt, has been exceptionally severe, and, so far as the poor are concerned, its severity has been accentuated by the increased prices demanded for coal and foodstuffs.

In low-lying districts, the floods have been abnormal, and many acres have been inundated for considerable periods. In Galway City, there has been a regular epidemic of influenza, and scarcely anyone has escaped a cold of some sort.

Stricken with fear

At a meeting of the South Galway Executive, United Irish League, Mr. William J. Duffy, M.P. said: “Every man I meet and speak to is horrified and stricken with fear and apprehension at the nature and possible consequences of this terrible war which is being waged today at the cost of life and limb, and at a waste of public treasure – so huge, so enormous, so far beyond the power of our limited intelligence to grasp or measure – that the whole world stands aghast and is horrified.

“Already, every class in the community are contributing their share towards the cost of this war. You don’t feel it in the country; you are passing through a period of abnormal and unexpected prosperity, but the lack of employment, the closing down of public works, and the enormous increase in the price of all foodstuffs is tightening the belt fearfully on the stomachs of our poor townspeople (applause).

“At such a terrible hour in the life of our country, absolutely without precedent in the history of the world, I confess it is impossible to keep one’s patience with those thoughtless and misguided people who shriek out cries of antagonism and hostility to England and her Allies in the successful termination of this devastating, destroying war.”

1941

World’s greatest curse

“The greatest damn curse that ever came on the world,” is how Mr. Sean O’Kelly, Gurtray, Portumna, described the motor car when, accompanied by Mr. Paddy Collins, Menlough, he appeared before the County Council on Saturday with a request from Clann na Talmhan that an effort should be made to make the main roads safe for horse traffic.

Mr. O’Kelly said that agitation for the roughening of road surfaces for horse traffic had been going on for the past two years. Not merely stock, but human life was in danger on the main roads today.

Many of the roads were like glass and people found it difficult to get to the markets. If there was a skin of ice on these roads, travel would be impossible.

The County Surveyor promised a couple of years ago to use a coarse chip with tar on these roads. That was done, but two months afterwards, the roads were as bad as ever.

The farmers, he said, felt that money was being spent entirely on motors. Motors were now a thing of the past, thank God. They were the greatest damn curse that ever came on the world.

Ambulances short

“During the past few days I have received over half-a-dozen telephone messages from dispensary doctors telling me that they have no petrol. They must think that I am manufacturing petrol here,” said Mr. Sean Gallagher, Secretary, at a meeting of the Galway County Board of Health.

The Secretary added that they could not get sufficient petrol even for the ambulances. “Our usual allowance was 355 gallons per month. Last month, we got only 100 gallons.”

The Secretary was instructed to send a telegram to the Minister for Supplies stating that the Board took a very serious view of the medical services in the county owing to the shortage of petrol, especially as there was influenza in various districts in the county.

“I have two new initials,” remarked Mr. Gallaher. “They are N.P. – no petrol.”

Tuam pollution

A denial that the pollution of the Galway water supply was due to the effluent from the Tuam Beet Factory was contained in a letter from Mr. T.A. O’Donoghue, solr. to Comhlucht Suicre na hEireann, which was read at Thursday’s meeting of the Galway Corporation.

Mr. O’Donoghue stated that the effluent was treated and that if the water was polluted, the pollution was due to other causes.

Samples taken in Middle-street and Newtownsmith were reported by the bacteriologist, Dr. T. Walsh, to be usable, but the sample taken from the main at Eyre Square was contaminated.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.