Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1916
Soldier brothers
It is only by degrees that the truth about the heavy toll being exacted from Galway in the present big Allied advance in France is leaking out. On the Tuesday of this week, Mr. Martin Melia, of Mainguard-st, Galway, had an intimation from the War Office, that his step-son, Mr. Matt Melia, had been killed in action in North France on the 4th September.
He has another brother, Pat Melia, in the 1st Batt. Connaught Rangers, who is now in hospital suffering from wounds recently received. A third brother, Joseph Melia, is in Egypt. He joined the Munster Fusiliers at the outbreak of the war, but is now attached to the Royal Irish Regiment. He was wounded immediately after landing at the Dardanelles, but quickly recovered, and is still on active service.
Three brothers with the colours is something of a record even for a Galway family, and is a significant fact at a time when the Die-Hards are clamouring for conscription for Ireland.
Much sympathy is felt with the parent and the foster-parent of the deceased young soldier in a form of bereavement which is now shared by all classes in the land, high and low.
Brilliant career in US
Mr. Joseph Leaper, son of Mr. C.J. Leaper, Nuns’ Island, Galway, has been supervising important works in the United States in connection with the making of munitions for the Allies. His work entails his travelling all over the States, and he has had some thrilling experiences, but for the censorship, we should be happy to retail.
Mr. Leaper had a very brilliant course in Galway University, especially in chemistry (in which subject his father is an adept) and he has taken out one or two patents of his own. It may be added that it is the chemical branch of munition-making of which he is in charge. Mr. Leaper married a Galway lady in the States.
1941
State of the schools
Dunmore Girls’ and Boys’ National Schools are condemned and a new modern building is in the process of completion, states the report of the County Medical Officer for Health, Dr. Bartley O’Beirne. There is slight overcrowding in Lavally school. There is no lavatory accommodation and no cloakroom.
A new up-to-date school erected within a short distance of the old one will, it is expected, be opened in the near future.
The lighting of Leam School is faulty on the south side and extra windows are required. The condition of the floor is bad and needs repairs, and the old type desks with no back supports are still in use and should be replaced by the dual type.
Dental clinics were held in fourteen schools during the month of July and there were 550 temporary extractions and 259 permanent extractions. Medical inspections were carried out in six schools and dental diseases topped the list of defects found.
There were 43 cases of measles in the Galway urban area during the month and three cases of fever. Nineteen operations for enlarged tonsils and adenoids took place at Galway Central Hospital and a new eye clinic was held at which five children attended. Glasses were prescribed in every case. 133 children availed of baths at the cleansing station.
All the news
At a meeting of the County Galway Homes and Home Assistance Committee in Loughrea, it was decided to cut off all the newspapers at present being delivered at the county home with the exception of the Connacht Tribune and some Catholic weekly publications.
The decision was arrived at after the Secretary (Mr. J.J. Hanafin) had stated that every day he was receiving circulars from the Department about strict economy.
The Chairman (Mr. M. O’Regan, Co.C., T.C.) said that as the inmates had a radio for news, etc., they should drop the dailies, as all the news they needed could be got in the Connacht Tribune.
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
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.
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