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.