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.