March 15, 2012

Date Published: {J}

1912

Craughwell assault

On Sunday last, a serious assault, which, from what can be learned, endangers the life of a respectable farmer named Richard Morrisey, of Cahercrin, took place in Craughwell. It appears that after Mass, Mr. Morrisey was, with other parishioners, waiting outside the Church to attend a meeting of the Sacred Heart Sodality.

From a group opposite, a heavy stone was fired which hit Mr. Morrisey on the head, inflicting a serious wound. The police, who were absent on the occasion, later became apprised of the occurrence and the injured man was conveyed to the police barrack, but it was considered necessary to have the wound attended to by Dr. Quinlan.

Meaningless outrage

Another meaningless outrage, of a character which one would associate with lunatics deprived of all moral sense, has, we deeply regret to say, to be recorded.

On Sunday, about 9pm, when the night w

as dark and showery, a party of six young men were driving to Galway from a hurling march at Gort. When about 1 ½ miles outside Oranmore, they were fired on by persons in ambush, four gunshots, it is stated, coming from the side of the road. All the men except one, were more or less injured, two of them somewhat seriously.

The driver at once whipped up the horse, and Oranmore was reached at a furious gallop. Then the affair was reported to the police. A second car coming from the hurling match at a considerable distance behind the other, was unmolested, and its passengers saw no trace of the assailants.

1937

Peculiar custom

An old custom, believed to be in vogue in the district for generations – that is, taking away gates on November Night – led to the appearance of two young Kilconnell men before Mr. T.J. O’Sullivan, acting D.J., at Ballinasloe Court on Monday last. The defendants, Thomas Connor and John Connell, from Kilconnell district, were charged with maliciously damaging two gates, the property of Martin Lyons, in the same district.

Sergeant Vaughan, sergeant in charge, Kilconnell, said he understood that this custom was an old one in the district – taking away gates on November Night. The guard were put to considerable trouble making searches afterwards and it was to put to an end this practice in the district that the prosecution was brought.

The acting Justice said it was a very peculiar one. He had never heard of it before. IN giving the defendants the benefit of the Probation Act and ordering them to pay 8s. expenses incurred in the case, the acting Justice said he hoped that the prosecution would end this peculiar custom in the country.

Schoolboy dilemma

The expulsion of a bay from Mynish National School had a sequel in Carna District Court on Tuesday, before District Justice Sean MacGiollarnaith, when a man was summoned under the School Attendance Act.

Garda Kineally said that the case had been adjourned for three months from a previous court and defendant’s son, in respect of whom he was summoned, had not attended school in the meantime. The boy had been expelled from Mynish school on account of alleged misconduct.

Defendant said that he had tried to send the boy to Carna school, but the teacher there would not accept him without the manager’s permission. Witness had failed to obtain the required permission.

Replying to the Justice, Garda Kineally said that the Mynish teacher told witness that the boy was ill-mannered. The Justice adjourned the case for one month and instructed the complainant Garda to interview the manager in the meantime.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.