Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
A degrading practice
It has been brought very forcibly under our notice during the week that the excursionists from Dublin on Sunday left with anything but good impressions of the Claddagh.
The famous fishing village was bedecked to welcome the visitors; but as they passed through, they were accosted by swarms of little children who begged for pennies.
As our informent listened to the monotonous “Gie’s a penny,” the blood mounted to his cheeks.
“I actually witnessed the degrading spectacle of children begging from factory hands poorer than themselves – accosting little girls earning not more than a few shillings a week. And yet the parents allow, and even, I am forced to confess, connive at this, although there was never so much money coming into houses of this class.”
Much more was said which had better not be repeated in print. For the honour of Galway and the Claddagh, this degrading survival of darker days should be ended once and for all.
There is, of course, a law against mendicancy. That law can, and ought to be enforced, and the responsibility brought home to the parents who lend themselves to a practice that saps and undermines every vestige of self-respect and that turns out a thriftless citizen dependent upon others.
But there is a moral law which is higher still, the law that would scorn to brand with the stigma of beggary the springtime of the little lives committed to its care, that would sacrifice a right hand before it would consent to the perpetration of what can go by no other name that that ugly-sounding one, “imposture”.
We trust it may never again be necessary that this unpleasant, and, happily circumscribed, phase of local life may be introduced into our columns.
We trust it may never again be necessary to say to Galway fathers and mothers, however poor or humble they may be, “O, shame! Where is thy blush?”
1941
New meat factory
Ballinasloe’s new meat factory was officially opened on Monday, when up to one hundred lambs and sheep were slaughtered on the premises. Later the dressed carcases were despatched to other centres for distributions.
The factory is in part of the old workhouse premises, where the most modern equipment, costing several hundred pounds, has been installed. When, a few weeks hence, more machinery is installed the factory will be one of the most modern as well as one of the largest in the country.
It will be capable of dealing with several hundred carcases per week, and should prove a boon to local farmers who have suitable sheep and lambs for disposal in a ready local market.
Don’t deserve plots
Ballinasloe Council’s solicitor has received instructions to proceed against allotment holders who failed to return spades, shovels or other implements lent by the Council.
In a communication from the Department of Agriculture, an inspector who visited the allotments in Ballinasloe said there were several plots overgrown with weeds. No attempt was made to clean up the plots, and action should be taken against defaulters.
Lighting difficulties
While ‘Summer Time’ continues the country people will not fare so badly, but from now onwards every ensuing month will deprive us of approximately two hours of daylight, and the glow of the kitchen hearth will be a very inadequate substitute for candles and lamps.
The Government seems to have overlooked the fact that farmers require artificial light for other than domestic purposes. We have heard of cases of sick animals which had to be tended throughout the night in complete darkness save for such feeble occasional illumination as could be provided by striking matches, or lighting small wood fires.
This is bad enough just now, when there are only a few hours of complete darkness, but what will the farmers do when the sun sets at 4.15 and does not rise again until 8.40?
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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