Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1921
The northern question
Although there are still difficulties to be faced and overcome before Anglo-Irish differences are adjusted, we may dismiss as much mock heroics the “no surrender” declaration made by Sir James Craig in London last evening.
Avoidable war is an atrocious crime against humanity and civilisation. Future “war” in Ireland can and must be avoided, and a quarrel that has lasted about 750 years can now be brought to a permanent and lasting settlement if only the North-East Ulster intransigents will say the word.
One fact that would appear to emerge clearly enough from all the conflicting rumours of the week is that a conditional arrangement has been arrived at between the British and Irish representatives. It is in pursuance of this conditional arrangement that the Cabinet of the North-East has been summoned to London.
The summons was issued in circumstances which even the Ulster diehards could not afford to ignore. The House of Commons had given Mr. Lloyd George a sweeping majority to bring about Irish Peace. The country has clearly shown that it was behind the Prime Minister in his efforts to do so.
The Press, with one single and notable exception, is unanimous in its declaration that Britain has had enough of troubles without undertaking another “war” against Ireland to the ruin and disgrace of the Empire.
The North-East has been told pretty plainly by newspapers that were once its greatest supporters that it is its duty to make terms with its neighbours for the peace and future security of the British Empire.
All these factors undoubtedly favour peace and indicate that the Irish representatives have succeeded thus far. But peace is not yet. The unruly offspring of British domination in Ireland, which has kept back the final settlement of this country for generations of bloodshed and suffering, if it has set its face towards the path of peace and amity with its neighbours, has so far given no indication to the fact.
Under pressure from a predominating Conservative British Cabinet, that welcome change may come sooner than we expect. As we said last week, if the British Government is sincere in its desire for peace, it will find means to bring it about.
From the business point of view, it would be of immeasurable advantage from the North-Eastern counties to remove themselves from the moral Coventry in which the acts of their own unruly and murderous mobs have placed them.
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.
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.
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