Galway In Days Gone By

1918

Illegal hurling

At Loughrea Magistrates’, Joseph Connor, Joseph Ford and Tadh Scorry were charged with illegally playing hurley on July 31. Mr. Hogan, solr., who defended, cited Mr. Shortt’s declaration that the police had no right to interfere with games. Mr. Gillooley denied the Chief Secretary’s interpretation of the Order as correct. Hurling, he maintained, could not be played without a permit.

Mr. Hill, R.M., pointed out that Mr Gilooley had put in no evidence that the assembly was political. Mr. Gillooley replied that there were shouts of “Up De Valera”.

Mr. Hogan said the action of the police was audacious in bringing the case – they were more royalist than the King. If the Court interfered with the liberty of these men, the case would be taken to the Supreme Courts.

For the defence, T. Burke and M. Daley swore that Connor had been batoned on the head several times after arrest. Head-Constable Sweeney declared that a stone had been thrown. He did not see it, but heard it fall.

The magistrates, after a long consultation, adjourned their decision to Loughrea Petty Sessions.

Police charge

Sinn Féin demonstrations were held on Lady Day in many parts of the county, and the statement issued by the Executive was read in most cases. The Rev. Father O’Meehan, C.C., Kinvara, President South Galway Sinn Féin Executive, informs the Press that 35 Sinn Féin clubs held meetings in South Galway unmolested.

In Connemara meetings were held at Clifden, Claddaclithu, Ballinakill, Ballinafad, Cashel and Roundstone.

A Cumann na mBan meeting, at which Miss Cashel, B.A., was to speak, was not long in progress when a large contingent of police arrived and charged the crowd. Although some people, it is said, received nasty injuries, the assemblage kept cool.

At a quarter to 10 o’clock on Thursday night, Mr. P. Carroll, Sec. Ballinasloe Sinn Féin, was arrested by Head-Constable Crehan and Constable French. We understand the charge against him is for having used seditious language in the fair green, after a camogie match had been played. Mr. Carroll was taken to Galway, where he was handed over to the military authorities.

Mr. Timothy P. Killeen, D.C., a member of the Ballinasloe District Council and Clonfert Sinn Féin Club, was arrested by Eyrecourt police, and taken to Portumna to be dealt with by the military authorities.

1943

Overcharging tourists

The good reputation of the Galway and Salthill hotels and boarding-houses – second to none in the country for cleanliness, comfort and moderate charges – has been endangered during the present holiday season by the unscrupulous conduct of a few persons who have grossly overcharged visitors for very indifferent accommodation.

A well-known hotel proprietor, commenting upon the complaints of overcharging for accommodation, drinks and car hire, said: “If they keep up this sort of thing in Salthill, they will completely ruin the tourist trade.”

Phone service complaints

Complaints that the telephone service in Galway was very unsatisfactory were made at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chairman (Mr. J.D. Whelan) said that several people had complained to him about the long delays in getting through.

He himself had an experience on the first Monday in August, which was a Bank Holiday. He had to wait almost half-an-hour to get through from Galway to Salthill.

Mr. MI O’Flaherty, P.C., said that he recently tried to make a very urgent call from one of the kiosks and when he did not get a reply, he rang up the exchange from a private number.

When he complained that he had been ringing from the kiosk and did not get a reply, the operator said that the telephone there must not be working.

He pointed out that he had been delayed and that a notice should have been put up on the kiosk to the effect that it was not working. To this the operator replied: “That is not my fault.”

Mr. J. Allen said that from what he had heard, the operators were not to blame. The whole trouble was due to the fact that the service was out of date and was not able to cope with the demand on it. Until the whole system was rearranged nothing could be done to improve matters.

Chairman: It is ridiculous paying a high rental if we are not going to get better service than that.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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