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

1914

Police baton charge

What our Connemara correspondent describes as the most sensational and exciting incident in the Connemara land war reached on Sunday last, when after 11 o’clock Mass, the people marched from Tullycross towards Renvyle for the purpose of holding a public meeting on the Curragh farm, and were met by a large force of police on the public road, who drew their batons and charged the people.

After Mass, the band was got out and led the large concourse of people, comprising men, women and children, and numbering about 2,000. Lusty cheers were given all along the way.

A large force of extra police under the command of County Inspector Flower and District Inspector Horgan, Clifden, left Tully and preceded the people to Renvyle.

At a distance of about a mile outside Tully, the County Inspector said he could not allow the people to proceed further, and lined his men across the road, but the crowd pressed forward. The police tried to keep them back, but a determined rush was made, and led by safe horsemen, the people broke through. The march was then continued for some distance further.

The police again blocked the road. The people continue on, cheering wildly, a prominent figure in the crowd being Mrs. Patrick McLoughlin of Letterfrack, wife of one of the cattle drivers now in prison.

The police were fierce. They charged at the crowd using their batons right and left; and it is alleged, that several women and young girls were struck. Certain it is that many of them were knocked down in the crowd and trampled on in a bad way. The drum was broken in the melee. The people, who were without weapons of any description, would not yield.

Several people received severe wounds which had to be attended by a doctor. They were chiefly struck on the face and heads, and their foreheads were split open.

The crowd continued to fight their way and at length go away from the police, who went on ahead again. The people got into the grazier’s farm overlooking the Renvyle House, cheered wildly and booed the police. A meeting was then held on the farm.

1939

War preparation

A reminder of the preparation being made for defence and, in the event of war, the possibility of a scarcity of chemicals, etc., was contained in a notification from Imperial Chemical Industries to Ballinasloe Urban Council and other councils.

The price of chlorine has been increased. Though the increase is, so far, small – one-eighth of a penny in the £ – it is an indication that in the event of an outbreak of hostilities in which England may be involved, the price would go higher, as chlorine is one of the principal chemicals used in poison has.

It is also used for the purification of water, and is extensively used at Ballinasloe waterworks new plant.

Extensive flooding

Owing to the extensive flooding the division of a hundred acre farm in Poolboy, by the Irish Land Commission, was difficult. A boat was needed to get into parts of the land. The land was divided between some small farmers in the district. In other areas in the same district large areas of bog land are still flooded and have been under water since September, notwithstanding a drainage scheme in the district a year or more ago.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.