June 14, 2012

Date Published: 13-Jun-2012

1912

Harbour lighting

A special meeting of the Galway Harbour Commissioners was held on Tuesday to consider the question of lighting the Harbour and accepting tenders.

The Chairman said the only business they were called there to do was to accept a tender for the lighting of the Harbour. He had to apologise for seeming neglect, as on the last day he was not aware that ten days public notice should be given to tenders, and a poll on the majority of the members present decided that the tenders should be opened.

This was done, and the offer of the Gas Company Ltd., had been accepted by a walk over, and he thought the action of the members present that day would be the same, and that the Gas Company would get the contract.

They had been most satisfactory during their last contract, and there was no cause for complaint.

Mr Ashe: I think it would be a good thing to get the views of the Harbour Master and the pilots on the matter. I believe there is not very much difference in the tenders and we should give the preference to the Gas Company. Some years ago, when there was electric light in the town, it went out on several occasions.

Purchasing the Park

A further discussion took place at a meeting of the Galway Urban Council in reference to the proposed purchase of land as Salthill suitable for a park. The Purchase Committee appointed by the Council reported the refusal of Mr. T. Costello, a member of the Council, to dispose of his interest in the proposed site, and after discussion the decision was arrived at of offering Mr Costello £400, the amount agreed on with Mr. Connolly, the other owner interested.

Chairman: Mr Costello asked £600 for the place; he came down to £550, and we could not pay that money.

Mr. Cunningham said he was very much disappointed in Mr. Costello, who, he thought, would be the last man to stand in the way of progress to the city.

1937

Gaelic League

Referring to the draft Constitution at Carna Aeridheacht on Sunday, Mr Colm O Gaora said that it was not possible to have two official languages in any country. No man can serve two masters, he declared. If it were necessary to have two languages one would have to be subservient to the other. The official language of Ireland should be the language of the Irish people.

Dental defects

Dealing with dental diseases in his annual report for the year 1936, Dr O’Beirne, County Medical Officer, stated that it was a remarkable fact that, despite all the preventive measures which had been introduced into medicine in recent years, one rarely saw a set of teeth in children which did not show some degree of caries or decay.

Decay was caused, in the first instance, by defect in the protective enamel and consequent exposure of underlying dentine. Anything that hindered adequate formation of enamel led to caries.

The relation between sound teeth and diet is, therefore, obviously very important. Dr. O’Beirne pointed out that the addition to the children’s diet of cod liver oil, fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread in preference to white bread, and the omission of sweets would help to lessen decay in children’s teeth.

The effect of white bread on teeth has been stressed by doctors on numerous occasions, but people generally are too much inclined to cater for their tastes in these matters without giving any consideration to health.

Another comment worthy of note is that children in rural areas have much sounder teeth than those of urban areas and large towns. This was perhaps due to quality of the foods used and to the lack of luxurious diets in the rural districts.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.