Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
Conscription scare
On Sunday night, a special train returned to Galway, bringing back over 30 young men who had endeavoured to emigrate. From statements made, it appeared that they had an exceedingly hostile reception in Liverpool.
Some of them complained that they had been rushed into emigrating by their parents, and that as far as they were concerned, they had no desire to run away at the present time, while others said candidly that they were compelled to go abroad because they could not make a living at home.
They added that the recruiting sergeants were busy among the crowd at Liverpool, and that out of 600 only about two joined the colours. Most of them went home on Sunday night.
“We have received a circular,” said one emigration agent, “to stop the booking of men of military age, but they might have spared themselves the trouble for bookings have never been fewer than this year.”
“Do you believe these people are fleeing from the country for fear of conscription?” he was asked.
“There is no doubt that there has been a good deal of loose and idle talk on the conscription question. I know there are two or three instances of where parents have actually driven their sons out of the country for fear of conscription; but if there is any fear of compulsory military service, you may take it from me that it is not the young men of this country who are showing it, but literally the old women and their parents.
“Further, emigration is sadly encouraged by those who would wish to see the scare succeed and the Irish Party and people discredited.”
1940
Ready to die
“Any attempt to bring pressure to bear on us by any of the belligerents – by Britain – can only lead to bloodshed.”
This declaration was made by the Taoiseach, Mr. de Valera, in the Dáil. He was referring to the Government’s determination regarding the surrender or leasing to Britain for the duration of the war of ports in Ireland under the control of the Irish Government.
“I want to say to our people,” he added, “that we may be – I hope not – facing a grave crisis. If we are to face it, then we shall do it anyhow knowing that our cause is right and just, and that, if we have to die for it, we shall be dying for that good cause.”
Salthill improvements
At a Corporation meeting, a committee asked what works the Borough Surveyor (Mr. C.J. O’Callaghan) proposed to carry out. He pointed out the works which, in his opinion, were most acceptable to the Department.
At Salthill, these consisted mainly of excavation, levelling and filling and the making of a carpark. The committee expressed the wish that some of the grant should be devoted to the provision of seats and the planting of trees on the western side of the Park, between the Pavilion and Salthill Road, and otherwise agreed with the work proposed to be carried out.
No U.S. liner
A statement from Washington to the effect that Germany has refused a safe conduct for an American ship to proceed to Ireland to bring back United States citizens from Britain may mean that the U.S. Lines vessel, Manhattan, which was due to visit Galway port shortly to take home 1,200 U.S. citizens will not call.
The American report states that the German refusal to grant a safe conduct was issued despite a prompt and favourable reply from the Italian government to the U.S. request.
The German government is said to have declared that the areas around Great Britain and Ireland were “areas of military operations.”
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.
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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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