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.