Galway In Days Gone By

1915

The King’s Appeal

To My People

At this grave moment in the struggle between my people and a highly organised enemy who has transgressed the laws of nations, and changed the ordinance that binds civilised European together, I appeal to you.

I rejoice in my Empire’s effort, and I feel pride in the voluntary response from my subjects all over the world who have sacrificed home, fortune, and life itself, in order that another may not inherit the free Empire which their ancestors and mine have built.

I ask you to make good these sacrifices.

The end is not in sight. More men, and yet more men, are wanted to keep my armies in the field, and through them to secure victory and a lasting peace.

I ask you, men of all classes, to come forward voluntarily and take your share in the fight.

In freely responding to my appeal, you will be giving your support to our brothers, who for long months, have nobly upheld Britain’s past traditions, and the glory of her arms.

George.

Lighting coastal fire

At the weekly City Petty Sessions, three young men from Barna named Michael Cloherty, Patrick Conneely and James Griffin were charged under the Defence of the Realm Act with lighting fires on the shore at that place on the 11th inst.

Mr. Heard, D.I., who prosecuted, stated the nature of the defence, and said, though he did not press the cases, the defendants could have observed they were committing an offence, as notices had been posted up all over the country warning the people from lighting such fires on the coast.

Constable O’Brien stated that at 7.45, he found the defendants at a fire lighted on a height, where it could have been seen from the sea. They made no excuse for having lighed the fire, which was situated up a sort of boreen.

Answering Mr. J.S. Young, witness said there was a wall each side of the boreen, but the fire could be seen from the Bay all the same.

Mr. Kenny (Messrs. Blake and Kenny) for the defendants, said it was a technical offence, and Mr. Heard did not press for a severe penalty.

The Barna people, he added, amidst laughter, did not want the Germans to come in there. As a matter of fact, they did not light the fire at all, but were at it.

The boys were given a good character, and were fined 2s 6d each.

1940

Housing ‘bombardment’

Numerous complaints were read at Ballinasloe Urban Council of disturbances by tenants in the Council’s terraces. One complaint said it was worse than the London bombardments. Another sufferer wrote: “In London, the people have shelters and ear-plugs, but here we have to put up with this terrific bombardment night after night, and I would ask the Council if they do not take immediate action with these offending tenants to supply us with a shelter inside the house or give us ear-plugs.

The Council discussed the complaints at length, the Chairman (Mr. Cullen) remarking that the Council should take firm action and protect their tenants and proceed against the offenders in Court; otherwise, he thought, the Council were not doing their duty to their tenants.

The Town Clerk said that there was a clause in the tenancy agreement regarding the conduct of the tenant.

Other councillors expressed the opinion that they would be creating an undesirable and unwise precedent in interfering, and suggested that it was a matter for the tenants’ they could proceed in Court on summons.

Eventually, the Council decided that it was their duty to protect their tenants and handed the complaints to their solicitor, with instructions to proceed against offending tenants in Court.

Lost in the kitchen

Many shop girls and others are lost in the kitchen when they get married, said Ald. Miss Ashe at a meeting of the Galway City Vocational Education Committee during the course of a discussion on the cookery and general household management classes in the Committee’s school at Father Griffin road.

She asked the teachers if they taught girls how to cook a cheap, wholesome dinner on the assumption that some would become the wives of working men earning only £2 or £2 10s. a week and would only have 25s. or £1 10s available to spend on the house each week.

Ald. Miss Ashe: There is a crowd of shop girls and others who are painful when they get married; they are lost in the kitchen.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.