Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
‘God Bless Germany’
Thomas Finnerty, Claddagh; two months with hard labour. Martin Walsh, Claddagh; a fortnight with hard labour. These were the sentences passed by the Galway City magistrates on Monday upon two men who were charged in custody under Section 27 of the Defence of the Realm Act, with making statements likely to prejudice recruiting for His majesty’s Forces.
Sergeant Leonard deposed that he was Recruiting Sergeant in the Connaught Rangers. On the evening of the 4th June, he was with Private Laing and Private Cavanagh at Mr. Michael Walsh’s bar, Eyre Square. There were two sailors there.
One of them said he would be a soldier tomorrow or the next day. Witness said it was his duty to take him, to Renmore at any time he wanted to go. Witness was interrupted by the prisoner Walsh, who said: “You, a Galway man, ought to be ashamed to be wearing the King’s uniform.” Witness said he was not afraid to fight for his King and country.
Walsh then came towards him in a violent manner, and Thomas Finnerty, the other prisoner, then endeavoured to come towards him, but was stopped by the Military Police. The sailor, to whom witness was speaking, had not joined the army since.
Private Laing, of the Military Police, said that Finnerty came out after having endeavoured to strike the Recruiting Sergeant, and said he was a Sinn Féiner, and witness told him to be careful – he said he did not give a d… and “God bless Germany!”.
1940
Nation in danger
“Our nation is in danger – immediate, imminent danger,” said Mr. de Valera in a broadcast from Radio Éireann on Saturday night. “If violation of our territory promises an advantage, our territory will be violated and out country made a cockpit,” he added.
The Germans have launched a supreme effort to capture Dunkirk, hurling masses of infantry through flood waters in successive attacks.
Travel restrictions
When the case, adjourned from a previous court, against two boys who were convicted of stealing eggs, was called at Ballinasloe Court on Monday, the excuse was made that one of them, with his father, was going to Glasgow.
Supt. Dunphy said this excuse was given on last court day, but no move was made since to send the boy away. There were now new restrictions regarding travelling between Eire and England; only those engaged on national interests were allowed national permits.
He did not know if it would be considered in the national interest to allow these people to leave Ballinasloe, but in any event, no move was made as regards permits.
Mr Rooney, solicitor for one of the boys, said he had been trying to get photographs and negatives and was held up. There was a letter from the boy’s aunt in Glasgow offering employment, but the fare was the big trouble, and he asked for a further adjournment. Mr Cahill, D.J., allowed the case stand for one month.
Advert
Adrift for fourteen hours in open boat
Four young men on a cruise round Ireland had a narrow escape from death recently when their motor launch developed engine trouble. For fourteen hours they drifted in the open boat, cold and wet through from a dangerous squall which had sprung up.
Had it not been for the fact that they each carried flasks of hot Erinox, their adventure might have ended fatally. As it was, all they got was a good frightening, and the knowledge that the concentrated nourishment of Erinox Irish Beef Cubes probably saved their lives.
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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