Galway In Days Gone By

1921

Prisoners’ memento

Some of the Galway prisoners took home with them on their release from Ballykinlar a little camp publication run off on a cyclostyle, entitled “Barbed Wire”, on which the tedious hours were passed.

The spirit of the men in the camp was revealed in this little publication which gives us a more intimate glimpse into camp life than, perhaps anything published. We reproduce some of the principal articles. The “leading article” says: –

“The phenomenal success achieved by ‘The Barbed Wire’ is a splendid tribute to the intelligence and culture of our readers. To say that the advent of our precious little periodical set the world agog is a very mild way of describing the effect which it created in all the courts and alleys of Europe, America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Ireland and Carsonia. While it had a sobering effect on the wider sprits in our midst, we have reason to believe our high-explosive magazine staggered humanity.

“Our first edition was sold out in a few minutes, and the editions which were ‘run out’ afterwards were sold as quickly as they were ‘run off’ the machine. In spite of our colossal labours, we were unable to meet the demand. Apologies are, therefore, due to the untold millions who were unable to procure a copy of our very August number. We had hoped to render apologies unnecessary on this occasion but owing to the vital part of our machinery – the silk – going on strike we must again apologise – this time in advance to the millions who will be denied the pleasure of buying the September issue of ‘The Barbed Wire’.

“S.O.S. – Appropriately enough, our line operator has sent a wireless message to us asking for a new machine, which we hope to let him have in good time for our magnificent Xmas number. Our policy this month is the same as it was last month. In this, as in many other matters, we differ from the majority of publications. Hence the unique position to which we have attained in the journalistic world.”

While a few people may dislike The Barbed Wire, all will admit that it has some good points.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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