Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1922
The demon drink
The most contemptible of all types of mankind is he who partakes of intoxicating drink throughout the entire day and far into the night. He is never drunk, nor is he ever sober. He is appropriately called a “soaker”.
At the meeting of the Ard-Fheis, Mr. de Valera made a statement which, to those who do not understand the full significance, may not have appeared very germane to the issue. But we are given to understand that his declaration that he was “sorry the drink evil was coming again to the country” was timely, and ought to be followed up with strong action by those upon whom the discipline and good conduct of the Irish people, and the army, which is their servant, depends.
Mr de Valera said he believed he was expressing the united view of every member of the Dáil and of the Officer Board of Sinn Féin when he said that he believed Ireland was really in danger the time the drink evil came back. They wanted the support of the organisation to end that evil, and generally, restore order.
We are informed by clergymen who know rural County Galway and the habits of the people intimately that the young men of to-day do not drink to intoxication, but they have acquired more dangerous habits in certain areas: they “soak” drink for long periods at a time, and their addled minds are, therefore, open to any suggestion of mischief or evil, whilst their power to do honest work such as strong clean men glory in is dulled.
Inevitably, demoralisation follows. We trust that this tale of degeneracy is exaggerated, but we very much fear that it is too true. The fact that Mr. de Valera should make public reference to it at the Ard-Fheis is significant.
“Half the mischief,” a well-known clergyman informs us, “is hatched out at cross-roads public houses by men who spend hours there when they might be doing honest work at home.”
It is well that the country should be aroused immediately to this most insidious of all dangers, for if alcoholic demoralisation should spread, then of a surety the road to utter demoralisation and ruin would be a speedy one to travel, and all the best traditions of our Irish manhood would soon be undermined.
Although we do not, and never have, advocated total abstinence against temperance, better a thousand times that we should lose altogether the liberty to touch intoxicants than that our young men, and, alas, also some of our women, should be reduced to the degrading level of “soakers”.
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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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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Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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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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