Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
The Rebellion
An official wireless despatch, London 29th April, and officially communicated to this office this morning says: From an official message published this morning, apparently the Irish Rebellion is practically crushed and disorganised by the resistance of His Majesty’s Forces, and is rapidly disappearing.
James Connolly, already known to the public in connection with labour troubles in Dublin, has, it is understood, been Chief of the Rebel force, and is reported to have been killed.
The aftermath
We may wisely withhold comment upon the revolutionary outbreaks in Dublin and elsewhere, the bitter dregs of which we are not left to drink, until the data is available for a more settled judgment.
Four ugly features of the affair, however, which every Catholic and Nationalist will deeply deplore, at once reveal themselves. (1) The Casement episode (2) The reference in the Proclamation to our gallant allies in Europe; (3) The Socialists and Communists element in Dublin which seemed to have in some measure controlled the uprising; (4) The dark hints at secret societies.
So far as the aims of the revolutionaries are revealed by the Proclamation issued, their intention appears to have been to set up in Dublin, upon the slender mandate of their own judgment, a Republican Government, and apparently to call in for this purpose the assistance of Germany.
In the circumstances we cannot refrain from the comment that, even if the scheme were feasible and practical, the cure of German intervention would have been much worse than the disease.
Galway Police
Sir, I doubt if the public generally realise how much it is indebted to the magnificent conduct of the Royal Irish Constabulary during this present crisis. The devotion to duty of this splendid body of men has been simply superb.
They have been under arms literally night and day since Easter Monday, not having an opportunity of taking off their clothes for the past six or seven days, and only matching an odd hour’s sleep when and where they could, still armed and ready for a call to duty at any moment. We can never repay them.
Their officers have displayed untiring zeal and energy in safeguarding our lives and property, showing the greatest pluck under fire, under most trying circumstances.
Those who have followed the situation carefully know full well that the daring and brilliant little raid on Carnmore (although we, unfortunately, lost one poor fellow there) was a masterpiece of strategy.
From that moment, I believe the Sinn Féiners were unnerved and the town was safe. Altogether, the city owes a deep debt of gratitude to the R.I.C., and I think this fact should be brought home to everybody.
Lewis A. Tolputt, Taylor’s Hill, Galway.
1941
Conditions not so bleak
Mr. G. Bartley intervened in the debate in the Dáil on the rate for the Gaeltacht Services to correct some impressions which might have been created concerning in Connemara.
He said: “I did not intend to say anything on the estimate, but it is not easy to listen patiently to the position being painted as black as it possibly could be and much blacker than it really is.
“I am quite satisfied about one thing, that is, that the people in the Gaeltacht are certain that more has been done for them, not alone through this Department, which is very much handicapped as everybody knows, but in various other ways than was done for them previously.”
2,000 on the bogs
Mr. G. Lee, B.E., County Surveyor, told the Galway County Council finance committee on Saturday that he had 450 men working on thirty bogs in the county and that he expected to have close on 2,000 men working on fifty bogs before three weeks had passed.
Important Notice
In view of the fuel situation, it is essential that all domestic consumers, institutions, shops & offices reduce their electricity consumption by 25 per cent as from May 1st, 1941. Issued by the Electricity Supply Board.
May Fairs will be held
Once again the Tribune scores! In last week’s issue, our Dublin Correspondent announced that the ban on the holding of fairs in County Galway might be removed in a week. Today, we are happy to announce that his prediction has been realised.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
