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.