Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By – A Browse through the archives of the Connacht Tribune.
1913
Strike continues
The Galway strike has now reached an acute stage. Although up to the present, the utmost good order has prevailed, there is a good deal of patient and uncomplaining suffering that does not appear on the surface.
Both parties to the dispute refused the mediation of a Committee of Conciliation; nevertheless, as a result of the efforts of individual members of that Committee, it was felt that a direct conference between masters and men would be brought about.
For the past week, hopes were centred in the outcome of the conference, and a more optimistic spirit prevailed. On Monday, however, these hopes were dashed to the ground when it became known that the conference had not taken place, for the reason that the Employers’ Federation refused to receive Mr. O’Flaherty, the President of the Labourers’ Union.
Ballinasloe fire
On Saturday night last, a fire broke out in the out-offices of the licensed premises of Mr. J. Canavan, in Society-street, Ballinasloe. Before the outbreak was noticed, a considerable quantity of hay, and portion of the sheds were consumed. The hose being brought into play, the police and civilians worked with a will, and succeeded in putting out the fire after half-an-hour’s hard work.
1938
Emigrants return home
A ‘Connacht Tribune’ reporter learned last week that over 250 boys and girls from Carna and Barna emigrated to England during the month of March. Emigration from other parts of Connemara took place proportionately to the population during the same period.
Within the past few weeks, the tide seems to have turned somewhat, and fairly large batches of young men have been returning home. They say that work for men has slowed up greatly in England and thousands are being laid off weekly.
The more discerning of the emigrants see in this rather sudden slump an attempt to lure them into the army. They say that territorial camps are being established everywhere and many unemployed Irish boys have enlisted rather than return home. There are cases where boys’ passages back from England have been paid by their people at home.
Guard’s plucky action
Terrified countrywomen snatched up their baskets and ran for safety in the nearest doorway when a runaway horse and cart was seen careering madly down Eyre-street, Galway on Saturday, through the large crowd which had gathered for the weekly market.
The horse was being unloaded outside a house when it was frightened by a flying piece of paper and broke away. Two men made vain attempts to stop the runaway before it reached a number of children who were playing happily on the street. The children were pulled to safety as it continued its mad career towards Wood Quay, where the market, thickly populated, was in full swing.
Guard John Fox seeing the danger, with great presence of mind, jumped forward, caught the horse by the head, and was carried a full ten yards before he brought the now highly-frightened and sweated animal to a standstill.
Sewerage extension
A work urgently needed in Tuam and long promised is the extension of the sewerage scheme which has been passed by the county Council and is, we are informed, only awaiting sanction of the Local Government Department. This in a way is linked up with the road improvement, as it would be useless doing to roads until the sewerage has been laid. Both works are also needed to absorb some of the unemployed men of the town, many of whom have got not work since the beet campaign stopped.
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.
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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.
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