Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
Infant mortality
It is a melancholy reflection that the death rate amongst infants in Galway bids fair this year to rank next to some of the highest in the statistics of the United Kingdom. Many, far too many, of these infants leave life’s fading space almost before they have found it.
It is not that Galway is an unhealthy city; its death-rate stands amongst the lowest of any town. Nor yet is this mortality brought about by noisesome slums, for, with very few exceptions, the poor of the city live in healthy surroundings.
The causes, we are informed by those who have made a study of the matter, are to be found in (1) incompetent early nursing, and the employment of ‘handy-women’ who ought to be held personally responsible; (2) parental ignorance and neglect; and (3) the fact that no society of ladies takes any real interest in this all-important subject.
If the latter condition were set to rights; if some of the lady social workers of Galway, and we have them in abundance, would but realise that their real domain lies in the underworld, and that their noblest ambition ought to be to succour the poor even at personal sacrifice, the evil of incompetent nursing, which if it does not bring death, may bring disease that accompanies the unfortunate victim through life, would quickly disappear.
Drunkards for life
At the meeting of the Diocesan Temperance Commission, the Lord Bishop of Galway, Dr. O’Dea, read a statement: “Parents or others who induce the young to break their Confirmation Pledge, by claiming the power to dispense on this Pledge, and giving children drink at Christmas or at social gathering, or as medicine, incur a very weighty responsibility before God.
“Such parents may easily be the cause of making their children drunkards for life. What a crime for a parent to commit so lightly against his own child.
“Deeply convinced as we are that poteen is a curse to the parishes in which it is made, we earnestly appeal to Catholic families in those parishes to have nothing to do with the making of it henceforth. Christ our lord gave up more for our sake. This sacrifice will be very pleasing to Him.”
1941
Damage to graves
Mr. B. Keane, Clerk to the Galway and Rahoon Cemeteries Committee, writes as follows: “Permit me space to request the general public to refrain from damaging the graves of people buried in both of the Corporation’s cemeteries.
“This damage usually occurs when large crowds attend funerals in the cemeteries. On these occasions, people attending think it quite proper to ‘stalk’ and rush over the graves of other people, thereby smashing wreaths and crosses.
“People who do this damage quite forget that the graves of the dead are entitled to Christian respect, and they also forget that many people go to a lot of expense to have the graves of their deceased relatives kept in proper order.
“Within the past few weeks, however, what seems to be the deliberate act of a maniac has occurred in Bohermore Cemetery. In this cemetery, wreaths have been deliberately smashed with stones, and the number of wreaths so smashed is large.
“This could not have happened through crowds attending funerals, and despite the careful watching of the caretaker, the wreaths, etc., continue to be smashed by some warped-minded person or persons.”
Water improving
The outlook in regard to the Galway water supply is brightening, but it is not yet considered advisable to sound the “all-clear”. In a letter to the Corporation, Dr. B. O’Beirne, County Medical Officer of health, stated that there was still anxiety among the residents of the city in regards to the condition of the water. He had some samples taken recently which were reported fit for use.
‘No’ to Summer Time
Mr. Boland, Minister for Justice, stated in the Dail to-day that it was not proposed to follow the British example by extending Summer Time in Éire. In Britain, Summer Time is being extended for a further hour from May 3rd to August 9th.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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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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.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
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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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