Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
Boys’ jail threat
At the City Petty Sessions, Thomas Dean, Henry-street West, Galway summoned two boys named Bartly Naughton and Dan Reilly of the same street for injury to his door to the amount of 10s.
Complainant deposited that he had warned Naughton’s mother previously to take her hens out of his garden. On the night of the 8th inst., shortly after he went to bed, the stoning of his door started, and was kept up for some time.
When witness looked out he saw about ten boys, of whom the defenders were the ring leaders, opposite the house behind the wall, firing the stones. There was a barrow-full of stones in front of the door.
Sergt. Golden said youngsters did a lot of mischief in that locality, and ran away when the police came on the scene.
Michael Naughton, father of one of the defendants, deposed that the two defendants were in his house that night at the time he (witness) heard the stone throwing going on.
Complainant: Are you aware the boys have a house there for gambling and every rascality. Defendant replied that some boys had a room there as a club.
Chairman: We think the old man has identified these boys sufficiently, and they will be fined 5s. Each, and 5s. Compensation and costs. The Chairman added that to his own knowledge, the conduct of the boys in Henry-street was exceptionally bad, as an instance of which he referred to the damage done to the urban Council cottages built there – the building which had done so much to raise the status of the town.
Such conduct was a disgrace, and if any of the boys, or others, were brought up again, they would have to go to jail.
1940
Body in suitcase
At Galway District Court before Justice Sean Mac Giollarnath, a domestic servant from Bohermore was charged with attempting to conceal the birth of her infant.
Dr. Joseph McHale, Galway No. 2 Dispensary District, deposed that on January 9 at about 8pm, in response to a telephone message, he went to Eglinton-street Garda station.
Inspector Leen was present and handed witness a suitcase. The suitcase was opened in his presence. It contained underclothing and the body of an infant. The suitcase and body were removed to the morgue at the Central Hospital.
A post mortem examination found that it was the body of a full-term female infant. There were no external marks of violence on the body. Witness formed the opinion that the child was still-born.
After hearing further evidence in camera, the Justice returned the accused for trial to Galway Circuit Court on her own bail of £20 and one surety of £10.
Protest against executions
Tuam Beet Factory workers made their protest against the executions of the two Irishmen, Peter Barnes and James McCormick, in England, by marching in formation from the factory on Saturday last and through the streets of the town. A decade of the Rosary was recited at the Square.
Diseases report
There were ten diphtheria cases and eighteen scarlet fever cases in County Galway in December, according to a report just issued by Dr. B. O’Beirne, county medical officer of health. There were three diphtheria cases in Moycullen, three in Woodford, two in Ardrahan, one in Galway and one in Mountbellew.
Eight of the scarlet fever cases were in Lettermore, four in Ballinasloe, two in Ahascragh, two in Clonbur, one in the Ballinasloe rural district and one in Kiltormer. There were altogether 33 cases of infectious diseases in the county during the month.
Protestant community
The position of the Protestant community has weakened very much in Galway. In county Galway, the number had fallen from 8,500 in 1871 to 1,800 in 1936. Galway [borough], with its population of 18,000 has only got 440 Protestants.
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.
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
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.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
