Galway In Days Gone By

1909

Fleecing ratepayers

Several claims for malicious injury to property in Galway City and the surrounding districts were heard before the Recorder at Galway Quarter Sessions on Monday, and substantial awards, all of which add to the increasing rates, were given in all cases.

Mr. M. T. Donnellan, Shop-st., Galway, claimed £25 damages for the wanton and malicious breaking of a large plate-glass window in his business premises on the night of 11th November, and also claimed £20 for the breakage of a large plate-glass window and three smaller windows in his premises on the 14th December.

Mr. S. Redington, solr., appeared for the claimant, and Messrs. Blake and Kenny for the Urban Council.

His Honour gave decrees for £21 7s. 6d. and £17 17s. 6d. respectively.

Freedom for prisoners

On Monday afternoon Mr. Éamon de Valera, Mr. Seán Milroy, and Mr. Seán McGarry left Lincoln Jail without formal leave taking, and joined in freedom their four colleagues who made good their escape a few weeks ago.

There has been much speculation as to how the Sinn Féin Leader made his bold and successful bid for freedom, for journalists delight in daring escapes, but none of them has so far suggested another German plot.

That old wheeze has obviously done duty too long, and the “footprints and crop of wild rumours” that de Valera left behind could by no possible boozing of the compass be got to indicate that intrepid spirit had gone off hot-foot to Holland to restore the Kaiser to his throne.

1944

Make Galway beautiful

The people of this generation may not see the ideal Galway City which Mr. Dermot O’Toole, 69, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, President of the Architectural Association of Ireland, has been engaged to plan but it is possible that vast changes will take place in the physical appearance of the city in the near future.

Mr. O’Toole regards Galway City, which he revisited on Wednesday, as one of the best situated centres in Ireland both because of its proximity to some of the best scenery in the country and because of its position in relation to transatlantic air travel.

The big problem which Mr. O’Toole is now undertaking consists of indicating in a sketch plan how all that is ugly in the physical make-up of the city can be eliminated and how that ugliness can be supplanted by beauty in line and form, retaining at the same time the medieval character which makes Galway one of the most interesting cities in the country.

Connemara pride

Connemara is proud of Mairtín Thornton, the new Irish heavy-weight boxing champion. On Friday night last, excitement ran high in Thornton’s native Gaeltacht of Cois Fhairraige and the inhabitants literally swarmed around the few wireless sets in the area to hear the broadcast of the fight.

The menfolk walked miles to the nearest houses in which there were wireless sets. Needless to say, these houses were overcrowded and the audiences overflowed into the streets and clustered around the open doors and windows.

Losing the plots

Ballinasloe Urban Council authorities, despite numerous appeals and public announcements to the large number of unemployed workers in the town, are disappointed that the number of applications for free plots have not, this year, exceeded twenty.

Two years ago well over a hundred allotment plots were tilled in the urban area; last year the number had fallen well below the hundred mark, and this year it would appear, from the poor response to date, that the scheme locally may collapse.

The scarcity of vegetables in Ballinasloe market throughout the year, and the hundred per cent increase in the price of those supplies available should, one would think, be a strong incentive.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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