Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1914
Blind drunk
At Galway Petty Sessions, Michael Curley, a blind man, was charged by the Galway Board of Guardians with disorderly conduct in the Workhouse on the 4th October.
Mr. O’Toole, Master of the Workhouse, stated that Curley had gone into the workhouse 25 times since last January. On the 4th ult., witness saw the windows broken, but did not see the defendant do it. Defendant was a great nuisance.
Cross-examined, witness said he was aware that defendant was both blind and deaf.
Mr. Hanley, porter of the workhouse, deposed that on the night in question, he heard knocking at the door and the noise of windows being broken. When he opened the door, he found the defendant there, having climbed the outer gate. Defendant was a very great nuisance; came in under the influence of drink often, and kicked up rows.
The Chairman inquired how it was that the defendant’s people managed to communicate with him, or how he got on if he went into a shop.
Mr. Daly (defending) contended that the case could not be maintained, as the defendant was deaf and blind, and, therefore, unable to plead. It was a case in which the defendant ought to be sent to a suitable institution for the deaf and dumb.
Sergt. Cunningham said the man had a very significant manner of making known his wants when in a shop, by tapping on the counter a certain number of times with his stick (laughter). He had already done a month in jail for begging at Salthill.
The Chairman said the only place to which they could send the defendant was the prison, as they had no power to send him elsewhere. He would be sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.
1939
Ireland’s neutrality
Galway Harbour Board at their meeting agreed to make strong representations to American shipping companies to have liners call at Galway and it was agreed to as the Irish Government, the American Consul in Dublin, the Irish Consul in New York, Irish Socieities in America and prominent Americans of Irish descent to use their influence in this direction.
Dr. Powell said that the Roosevelt proclamation placed Eire in the war zone, but someone at home should make it clear that we were absolutely neutral and should be treated as neutrals. Eire was the only European country mentioned with the belligerent countries.
Agricultural plots
The success of the agricultural plots scheme for the unemployed of Galway city was referred to by Rev. J.J. Hyland, C.C., Spiritual Director of St. Patrick’s (Galway) branch of the Catholic Young Men’s Society.
Father Hyland explained that the scheme operated by the branch provided plots at Shantallow for up to three dozen men. The scheme was being put into operation again for the coming year and he hoped that a much bigger number would apply for and cultivate plots and thus provide cheap garden food for their households.
New Cemetery
Inasmuch as they build their churches substantially and well and spared no pains or money in decorating or beautifying them, they should similarly look after and keep in order the cemeteries throughout the country, said Very Rev. P. Glynn, Adm., St. Patrick’s, Galway, speaking at the first Mass ever celebrated in the mortuary chapel in the New Cemetery, Bohermore, Galway on Sunday.
Speaking after the first Gospel, Father Glynn said that this was the first occasion on which Mass had been celebrated in the mortuary chapel. It was intended that it should remain open every Sunday in the future. Before, long, Stations of the Cross would be erected there and Mass would be celebrated once every year within the Octave of All Souls Day.
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
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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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