Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Time Gone By – A browse through the archives of the Connacht Tribune
1914
‘Tickling’ the donkey
At Ballinasloe Petty Sessions, Constable Ryan summoned Bridget Daly for cruelly ill-treating a donkey. The constable stated that he saw the defendant stick the nail (produced) in the donkey’s tail. He was in plain clothes at the time.
When asked her why she did it, she said: “I am only tickling the donkey”. (loud laughter).
Dr. Kirwan: It would tickle herself (renewed laughter).
Capt. Brett, R.M.: These people should be sent to jail.
Sergt. O’Neill: There were complaints made; and the only way to stop them was to send out a man in plain clothes.
Capt. Brett: I think it is a case for jail.
Sergt. O’Neill: You can fine her £25 and give her six months in jail.
The constable said the defendant was rather an old woman. She was over 60 years of age. After consultation, the defendant was fined 5s and costs.
1939
Objection to refugees
“Before they bring any more refugees into the country, they should first find employment for the Irish people,” said Mr. W. Carrick, at the monthly meeting of the County Galway Libraries’ Committee.
Mr. S.J. Maguire, county librarian, remarked that there were no German books in the library, but a number of German-speaking people – foreigners – living in Galway, called frequently looking for German books.
Mr. Hosty: Are they “birds of passage” or are they fixtures?
Co. Librarian: Most of them are fixtures.
Mr. Hosty: They are German-speaking but are they German-born? Are they Aryan or Jew?
Co. Librarian: All I know is that they are from the Continent.
Chairman (Mr. Peter Kelly): We have enough people here already for whom to supply books – more than we can cater for – without being asked to supply them for foreigners.
Mr. Hosty: Isn’t it a fact that permits have been issued to 132 German-Jewish refugees to live in Galway.
Mr. Carrick now made the remark quoted above, and added that he never saw Galway in such a bad plight before. It was not right that foreigners should be brought into the country while natives were unable to get employment.
It was all right when foreigners came along to start industries and give employment, but when they came as ordinary citizens unprepared to contribute anything to the welfare of the community, he (Mr. Carrick) objected.
There were enough of Galway people unemployed and badly off, and while that state of affairs existed, people should not be shifted into the country. Anyone shifted out of Germany could come to Ireland or England.
Chairman: Then you are in agreement with me that no books should be bought for outsiders of that description. We have enough of our own to cater for and enough on the unemployment lists, without having to supply public money out of public funds.
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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