Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1918
Mysterious visitor
The Co. Clare police have arrested a man who entered Crabbe Island, in a sheltered inlet of Galway Bay, near Doolin, in a collapsible board, and who declared that he had escaped from an American ship that had been sunk by a German submarine.
It appears that the ship mentioned was not sunk, and the mysterious visitant of this lonely coasts, which is well within the bay, being unable to give a satisfactory account of his presence, was conveyed by the naval authorities to Scotland Yard.
He wore the clothes of an ordinary civilian, with a frieze coat. The collapsible boat is not of the ordinary type, but has cork stays, and can be rolled up into a small parcel. The man when arrested gave his name as James O’Brien, Baltimore, U.S.A. He was taken to Dublin on the way to London.
Ye olde clock
All things come to an end. The old clock, which was originally purchased in the year 1832 – five years before Queen Victoria ascended the throne – and which has hung in the Boardroom of the Galway Workhouse “time out of mind” as Shakespeare says, is to be superannuated.
It appeared in its old place for the last time last Wednesday. When the members entered they were surprised to see it flanked by two new time pieces, both going and accurately indicating the passage of time. Later in the proceedings, the Clerk explained that the clock had been sent to Messrs. Dillon for repairs. It cost 5s. 6d and the jeweller reported that the works were “. . . worn out with eating time.”
1943
Nails in turf
Sods of turf studded with nails were exhibited in Clifden Court on Wednesday last, before District Justice MacGiollarnath when Michael Coyne, Letternoosh, was charged with the larceny of turf from James Coyne, Glenbrichee.
James Coyne said that on the instructions of the Gardaí he had put nails into thirty sods of turf which he pinned on the face of the stack. On January 26th, some of the sods were missing. He later identified them when shown to him by the Gardaí.
Garda N. Thornton said he found the sods produced in court in a room in defendant’s house.
Michael Coyne (defendant), in evidence, said that he took the turf produced off a right-of-way running through his own land. He did so as a protest against James Coyne’s practices of dumping turf in the right-of-way. He was fined 1s. and ordered to pay £2 compensation.
After hours
William Heaney, New Docks, was fined £3 for an offence on March 17th at 11.15p.m. Guard Murphy and Guard Fox gave evidence of finding seven men on the premises at the hour named.
Mr. R.G. Emerson, Galway, who appeared for Heaney, said that only one of the men found on the premises came in with the intention of getting a drink and he was the only one who had any drink.
All the other men were there on business, one of them being a friend of the publican who helped him in his work from time to time. The Justice fined six of the men found on the premises 5s. each.
Fire Brigade call-boy
An order has been made by the County Manager that a call-boy be employed to summon firemen when required. Firemen who turn up late to remain at Fire Station and Officer in charge at fire to summon them or dismiss them as needed, using the call-boy for this purpose.
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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