Date Published: 29-Jun-2011

1911

City tenants’ change

Lethargy is a strange failing which would appear to manifest itself most where the need for activity is great and urgent. For long, little towns around, with less than one-fourth the population of Galway City, have been able to point the fingers of scorn at the capital of the county and province: here was a city, they said with truth, honeycombed with ruins, its back places rendered unsightly by poor dwellings, and yet without a branch of the Town Tenants’ Association.

Within the city’s walls the same reproaches could be heard, but the city tenants merely beat the air and made no move with a view to calling an effective organisation, which would voice their grievances and redress their wrongs, into being.

Cattle drive

News has reached Gort that on Saturday night last the cattle and stock on the farm of Patt Kelly, at Beagh, within two miles of Gort, were driven off the land and the walls thrown down. It appears that Kelly is presently grazing this farm which formerly was in possession of Patrick Burke, of Carrowgarriff, who is presently applying to the Estates Commissioners to have it restored to him again, in view of an immediate sale of the estate.

The police are busily engaged in looking after the stock, but up to the time of writing, no trace of same can be obtained. Mr. Kelly also accompanied them on the transport car on Sunday, and although every possible inquiry was made by them, all without avail. No arrests have as yet been made.

Financial troubles

The feasibility of adopting or rejecting schemes for the improvement of the sewerage systems of the towns of Mountbellew and Ballygar was discussed at a special meeting of the Mountbellew District Council. It is estimated that the Mountbellew scheme will cost £600 and Ballygar £1,000. Notwithstanding that the members are agreed that the works are necessary, they consider that the ratepayers are already burdened with a heavy impost. They decided to adjourn the matter in consequence of the serious financial condition of the Union.

1936

Lobster poaching

After two months of fruitless toil, many of the Connemara lobster-fishers have now come ashore in disgust and finally beached their curraghs. Never until this season have they so fully realised the havoc wrought by foreign poachers, and the unfortunate fishermen are driven almost to desperation.

The lobster-fishing industry was heretofore the only pursuit of the fishermen, which really gave a decent return for the time and labour expended upon it.

Rumour has it that the foreigners are not even above robbing the pots of the local fishermen which they happen across during the night. The local fishermen also allege that in some cases, even the pots themselves are stolen, and that for years past they have been wrongfully blaming the winds and currents on account of missing gear.

Severe thunderstorm

A cloudburst and severe thunderstorm, which broke suddenly over Ballinasloe and district on Saturday evening had caused considerable flooding in many districts. In Ballinasloe, many houses were flooded, basements and cellars to a depth of several inches in places.

The rain poured down in torrents for over half an hour, and the heavy gusts of wind and large hailstones, which accompanied it, broke windows and doors, and flooded the streets and some houses so suddenly that before occupants could remove some of the goods and furniture, they were floating in the floods.

Rivers of rain flowed down the streets and lodged in places to a depth of several inches. Shop goods and business premises were flooded, and the people attending the market were forced to run for shelter.

Sheets of lightning accompanied the storm and although no serious damage is reported, minor incidents of the storm’s havoc are reported in many districts – the potato stalks particularly suffered from the heavy showers of hail.

These were described as “lumps of ice, as big as heads”, which remained on the ground after the storm had abated for nearly an hour.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.