Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By

1919
A long way to Tipperary
The inconvenience caused to the travelling public as a result of the inadequate train service to Galway was described as abominable by the Chairman (Mr. J. S. Young) at Galway Urban Council yesterday when a deputation waited on that body relative to making representations to the railway companies concerning the matter.
Mr. Philip O’Gorman, as spokesman of the deputation, said the matter was one of serious concern to the City. While they recognised the train service between Galway and Dublin was satisfactory the same could not be said of the service as between Galway and the South and South-East of Ireland.
At the present time, travellers from those districts, including women and children coming to Salthill, are unable to reach Galway until after midnight, and on the return journey it was necessary to leave Galway at 7.50 in the morning, wait four or five hours in Athlone, and arrive home at a late hour in the evening.
But worse still remained to be said. To go or come from say, Tipperary, to any part of Connemara is a two days’ train journey.
Island epidemic
A side-light on the plight of the islanders of Aran during the recent influenza epidemic was revealed at Galway Board of Guardians on Wednesday when Mr. M. J. Cooke presided.
Dr. O’Brien, Kilronan, Aran Island, wrote that for the past month there has been an outbreak of influenza in the district, of a virulent type. The district much handicapped for lack of a nurse or attendant.
Whole families are stricken down without even a single person to hand them a drink. Several deaths have occurred, and there is no sign of a diminution of the number of cases. Is it possible to get a nurse or attendant from Galway? The disease is universal and there is no neighbour to lend a hand.
The Rev. Father Farragher, P.P., wiring on April 2 said: “Can you do anything? Flu making havoc. Three funerals to-day. Assistant doctor and nurse desirable.”
Farm labourers’ strike
Last week a number of farm hands employed on the Sir Henry Burke estate at Marble Hill struck for an increase of wages.
A man named Ryan who returned to work during the strike, was set upon a few days afterwards by, it is alleged, his co-workers, who waylaid him in the broad daylight, and inflicted serious wounds on his head and body.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By

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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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By

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.
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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.
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Connacht Tribune
Galway In Days Gone By

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.
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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.