Galway In Time Gone By – A browse through the archives of the Connacht Tribune.

1913

Insanitary conditions

At the weekly meeting of the Urban Council, the Local Government Board’s sanitary inspector reported that he had visited Nos. 1 and 2 dispensary districts. In the former, the housing for the working classes was good, but some of the tenements were not fit for human habitation. In the No. 2 district, the sewerage of Nuns’ Island emptied into the canal.

Mr. Binns: The sewerage discharges into the river.

Mr. Waters (sub-sanitary officer) said there was only one closet in Flood-street for five or six houses.

Mr. T.C. McDonogh: That is absurd.

Chairman: We should allow these people into the new houses.

Mr. Cunningham: That is the east ward and don’t say anything about it (laughter).

Mr. Young: The landlords should be approached on the matter and see that a second closet is erected.

Dock labourer insulted

At the City Petty Sessions, Mr. Wm. O’Halloran, Secretary of the Galway Labourers Society, prosecuted Martin Ryan, a bill poster, for abusive language on the 7th November.

Mr. Daly, who appeared to prosecute, said the defendant was creating disturbances among the members of the Union, and was continually abusing his client. However, they did not want the poor old man to be punished, and if he gave an undertaking to cease abusing his client, he would withdraw the case.

The first witness called was a member of the Union of Dock Labourers named Thomas Diviney, who said that on Shop-street, Ryan used some bad language towards O’Halloran. The language used would be likely to incite the labourers.

The Chairman asked the witness what words Ryan made use of on the occasion, and witness was understood to say that some remarks were passed about Mr. O’Halloran’s overall. Though the question was repeated, the witness gave no clearer version of what was said

Witness added that Ryan said he would turn O’Halloran out of the two and he would have the bells ringing (laughter).

As Diviney left the witness table, he said: “Ryan is always attacking the Union. He will go into the dock yet, if he does not mind himself.”

Mr O’Halloran said Ryan was in the habit of using very bad language towards him. His conduct on the 7th November was calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. He said he did not wish to press the case and asked the Bench to deal leniently with him.

Chairman: We will bind him to be of good behaviour for twelve months, himself in the sum of £5 and two sureties of £2 10s. each.

1938

Practically naked children

Medical evidence that three children, aged from one to four years, were poorly fed and generally neglected was given by Dr. John Nohilly at Dereen District Court, where a man from Tuam was summoned by Ms Monnelly, N.S.P.C.C., for neglecting his family.

Dr. Nohilly stated that he visited the house on October 12. He examined the three children, aged one to four years. They appeared to be poorly fed and were practically naked, not having sufficient clothing to protect them from the cold.

The bed clothes were scanty and there was no fire in the house and no sign of any turf there. He certified them to be removed immediately to the Children’s Home, as he did not consider they were properly kept. There was no food of any sort in the house, and the children had to be fed by the neighbours on that day.

Galway team travel

Galway Harbour Commissioners at a special meeting held on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Mr. T.J.W. Kenny requesting the Gaelic Athletic Association to make arrangements whereby the Galway senior football team when travelling to America would leave from Galway port.

Proposing the resolution, Mr. Kenny said that he would like to congratulate the Galway football team on winning the All-Ireland title. They were all very proud of the Galway team’s wonderful achievement, and he would suggest that when the team were travelling to America, they should travel through their own port.

He was aware that the arrangements for the trip were made by the GAA in America, but he felt sure that if it were put to them they would agree to arrange for the team to leave from Galway. They were trying to put Galway on the map as a port of call and it would be a great thing if the team left Galway for America.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.