Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Time Gone By – A browse through the archives of the Connacht Tribune
1914
Dastardly attack
A terrible outrage was perpetrated on Friday week at the establishment of Mr. P. Varden, merchant, Anbally, Tuam. About 8pm on that evening, several shots were fired in through the windows of the shop and the front of the house.
Some parties in the shop at the time narrowly escaped injury, and Mrs. Varden, the publican’s wife, we understand, had a miraculous escape from being shot.
A large mirror in the shop was considerably damaged, also other articles of property. Stones were also used with the other missiles, which included guns and revolvers.
This is the second attack of a similar nature on Mr. Varden’s premises, and on the former occasion serious damage was also inflicted, but not so grave as in the recent occurrences.
The authorities have not, up to the time of going to Press, apprehended any person in connection with the outrage.
The ass and Moloney
At Galway Petty sessions, Constable Callinan summoned Peter Duggan for turning loose a donkey on the public road. The penalty, he said, was 10s., and the police had come to the conclusion that they should bring the case under section 10, in consequence of the recurrence of cases of wandering.
Chairman: That is a bigger penalty that 2s. one, Peter.
Defendant: Well, your worship, if I may be allowed to speak a word. I was fined this day three weeks for the same ass, which I told you I sold to Pat Moloney (laughter). The donkey stayed only two days with him, when he went away.
Chairman: What has that go to do with the case?
Defendant: But Moloney didn’t look for him, and he came back to my place, and Lydon’s children put him out of the field.
He was fined 2s.
1939
Leprechauns off Gold Standard
From Connemara this week comes the disturbing news that Leprechauns have gone off the gold standard! According to Mr. Joseph Walsh, Rossroe, Cashel, these little secretaries of the fairy treasuries no longer count their pots of gold but wet their thumbs and fly through their wads of notes with a speed and a slickness that would shame our modern bank cashiers.
To Mr. Walsh we are also grateful for still another new angle on Leprechauns. They are no longer the mild but cunning little fellows we used to know. They no longer resort to guile or any of their stock tricks when you nab them from behind. They just simply get tough right away and give you the “works” in style.
Mr. Walsh, who is a very sensible and sober young farmer relates a most extraordinary experience with Leprechauns which set his native townland of Cashel, Connemara, all agog last week.
He says that as he was passing by an old ruined house near his home, he saw two little men sitting in front of a fire in the rain counting wads of notes. He watched them for a moment and then something compelled him to grab the money.
The moment he did, the little men attacked him savagely, scratched him and tore his clothes. They then disappeared up the old chimney, taking their fire and their money with them.
When Mr. Walsh returned home, his face, hands and clothes bore evidence of the struggle which he related to his friends and neighbours.
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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