Galway In Days Gone By

1916

Woollen mills death

The town was shocked on Monday night to hear that a young girl had been killed at the woollen mills. Galway, not being an industrial centre, is not accustomed to such fatalities, and the news, which spread like wildfire, created something of a sensation.

The fact, too, that the victim was a young girl, and that the accident occurred within a few minutes of the closing time, helped to deepen the sad aspect of the occurrence.

The victim’s name was Delia Kelly, of Fairhill, and she was employed as a weaver in the factory. The machine at which she was engaged having got out of order, she called the tuner. He operated on the instrument for some time, and when he thought he had it right, once more he released the lever.

Meanwhile, the girl, who had been looking on, got struck by the loom and was fatally injured in the head, death being instantaneous.

Fever outbreak

At the last meeting of the Oughterard Board of Guardians, the Master reported that five fever patients from Derartha, Lettermore, had been admitted since last meeting, and, in consequence, he had to employ additional nurses. Dr. O’Brien, M.O., reported that the fever patients were convalescent. At Saturday’s meeting of the Loughrea Guardians, Dr. Ryan, M.O., reported that several fever patients had been admitted to the fever hospital during the past week. The fever was of a very virulent nature.

1941

Dramatic rescue

Galway Corporation on Thursday decided to provide living accommodation in a Small Dwellings Act house at Water Lane for the families who lost their homes when a building in which they had been residing at Lombard-street, Galway, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning.

The Borough Surveyor reported the fire call was received at 7a.m. and the brigade were on the scene within ten minutes. They had the fire under control at 10a.m. A further outbreak occurred at 7.30pm as a result of a smouldering beam.

The house stands on the ground which up to the time of the acquisition of Galway Jail had been intended as the site for the new Galway Cathedral. Originally the property of a Mrs. Moloney, it was purchased by the late Most Rev. Dr. O’Doherty, Bishop of Galway.

The fire is understood to have started some time after 6a.m. in a room occupied by a Mrs. Donohue and her child and her creams roused members of other families in the house.

Mr. Fred Herterich, a pork butcher residing in Lombard-street, who was first on the scene, told our reporter that he was roused by the screams of women. He ran out and saw flames leaping up. There did not seem to be anyone coming out so he ran up the stairs and pounded on the first door he came to.

He told the occupants who were screaming inside to come out as the house was on fire. They paid no attention to him and he ran to the next room where he repeated his warning. The women were very hysterical and were screaming all the time.

“I could not stand the heat any longer,” said Mr. Herterich, “so I ran down the stairs again. The smoke was very overpowering at this time.”

When he got outside he saw that nearly all the women were leaning out the windows. One woman threw her two children out to him from a second floor window and he was just able to catch them in his arms. The woman then threw herself out and he was just able to break her fall.

By this time, he continued, the confusion was terrible and those who were still left in the house were in a bad state of panic. People who had gathered outside the house urged them to jump, and they did so, five of them sustaining injuries.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.