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

1913

Cowardly assault

While peacefully returning from a funeral on Sunday, a Carnmore farmer named John Carr, was set upon by three other men and assaulted in a grievous manner.

It appears Carr and his wife attended a funeral to Lackagh early on Sunday. When returning through Claregalway, Carr entered Lenihan’s public house, presumably for refreshment, leaving his wife in charge of the horse outside.

When he came out and was proceeding on his homeward journey, three farmers assaulted him with hurleys, causing several scalp wounds and injuries to the back.

The injured man lies in a precarious condition at his residence in Carnmore, and Dr. Gannon is in constant attendance. When examined, the scalp wounds showed that considerable force must have been used, as the doctor found it necessary to insert six stitches in his head.

At the time of writing, the doctor has not certified that the man’s life is out of danger. Eye-witnesses’ description of the scene of the assault go to show that the attack was a very brutal one, the road for a couple of yards being covered with blood.

1938

Nursing exams

Dr. Mills, R.M.S., informed the Committee of Management,. Ballinasloe Mental Hospital, that although there were very few vacancies, and a waiting list at present, 173 girls from all over Counties Galway and Roscommon sat for the qualifying examination for nurses held at the Mental Hospital a fortnight ago.

Of the 173, 66 passed.  This, said the chairman, only showed the need for employment in the country, and to relieve this to some extent, the committee called on all attendants, twelve in all, who have served the full period of 33 years entitling them to a maximum pension, to retire.

The committee took this step, said the chairman in order to relieve to some small extent the present pressing unemployment problem in the two counties.

Taking in probationers at £40 per annum and granting pensions to those who will retire on full pensions will mean no extra cost on the committee’s pay-roll.

The difference between the present rate of pay of those attendants qualified to retire and the amount of their pensions will almost pay the salaries of the probationers who replace the pensioners, while at the same time it will open up new posts.

Gaeltacht industry

That the market for goods manufactured for sale by the Gaeltacht Industries depot in Dublin is strengthening and that the people are learning to appreciate the high quality of these goods is evidenced by the fact that orders for the manufacture of certain articles of wearing apparel are coming in more frequently to many of the manufacturing stations.

The increased demand has given a decided fillip to the Roundstone knitting and crochet industry. This station, which employs twenty-six girls under the charge of Miss McGee, is working full time to cope with the demand.

The “Buy Irish” programme launched some time ago and the application of tariffs on foreign-manufactured goods coming into the country have done a great deal to draw the attention of the people to the Irish manufactured article, and now that Gaeltacht Industry goods are coming into the limelight their superior quality will assure them a steady market even in competition with mass-production goods.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.