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.