March 7, 2013

Date Published: 06-Mar-2013

1913

Fever in Oughterard

At the meeting of the Oughterard Board of Guardians, Dr. Kennedy O’Brien reported that there were now seven typhus fever patients in the hospital, five of whom were convalescent, and the remaining two in a critical condition. In the event of further cases of fever from Lettermore, the master had fitted up the school room as a temporary hospital, but up to the present it had not been required.

Jail diet

Patrick Butler, a casual, who had visited Galway Workhouse for a night’s lodging, and who did not leave on the best terms with the Workhouse Master, gave the Galway magistrates some amusing views on politics and other matters on Monday, when he was summoned before a full Bench for refusing to break stones.

The defendant said he was in bad health that morning, and the stones that were in it – green granite stones – nobody could break them; so that there was no good talking about Home Rule or anything like that (laughter).

“You would want to boil the stones that were there before you could break them.” (renewed laughter).

Chairman, Mr. Joseph Kilbride said that whatever about the question of politics, that ratepayers must be protected. Defendant would have to go to jail for 14 days, where he would have to work at “hard labour”.

Defendant said it would be easy enough to work there if they would only feed them (laughter) but it was impossible to work on the stuff they were getting.

Chairman: I don’t know about that.

Defendant: Well I’m sure of it (loud laughter). He was then removed in custody.

1938

New Cathedral

The people of Galway will be pleased to learn that his Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Browne, Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora, has acquired a large extension of grounds at the Bowling Green, Galway, near the proposed site for the new Cathedral. With the area now at his disposal, his Lordship will be able to build a Cathedral second to none in Ireland.

£500,000 expenditure

Apart from the £40,000 odd which it is expected that the Government will give for unemployment relief schemes, the public expenditure in County Galway in the coming year will, it is estimated, be £475,428. If the £40,000 odd to be included, the gross total expenditure will run to over half a million pounds.

Before the rate collection in County Galway for the current year reached 60 per cent of the total warrants, the ratepayers of the county were informed that there would be an increase of approximately 4 3/4d. in the pound for the coming year.

The increase in the rates might be very well if there were a corresponding improvement in the economic conditions of the people, especially the farmers. Prices for certain farm stock and produce have increased, but not sufficiently to give the farming community as a whole a chance to live in decent comfort.

Even were an entirely satisfactory settlement to be arrived at in the Anglo-Eire negotiations, it would still take some time before the farmer could entirely recover from the effects of the long drawn out economic struggle with England.

1963

Graveyard pilfering

Tinkers are desecrating and pilfering graves in the old cemetery at Rahoon, Galway. They are also taking lead from coffins in the cemetery and selling it in the city. Ald. Martin Walsh made these charges at the meeting of Galway Corporation. He called for action. The tinkers should be “flogged out of the area” of Rahoon.

Turbary plots

Mr. J. Geoghegan asked the Minister for Lands when he expects that turbary plots will be allocated to the householders living in Kilroe East and West, Spiddal, Co. Galway.

In reply, the Minister said: In South Connemara generally, in recent years the Land Commission have provided more than 300 turbary allotments, priority being given to areas in which the need was greatest.

Further allotments will be made on this basis, as circumstances permit. I understand that the majority of some thirty Kilroe applicants have sufficent turbary for immediate requirements but that enquiries are continuing with a view to developing an extensive bog in the locality to augment existing supplies.

City fire

Galway Fire Brigade and the E.S.B. repair service were alerted when fire broke out behind an electric meter in Cooke’s licensed premises, Leetle Street, on Monday evening. Both the brigade and the E.S.B. workers arrived at the same

Sir,

On a recent visit to Menlo village I noticed that the stone, known as the Caher Stone, has been destroyed, apparently by employees of the local authority. This stone was of considerable antiquarian interest, and it is difficult to see how a public body could have acted in this way.

There is such a considerable number of such remains in the village, and I can see all these being removed in a short time, unless something is done to prevent it. Indeed, Menlo is perhaps the most interesting village in all Ireland and, from a commercial point of view alone, it behoves Galwegians to do something quickly about its preservation.

Yours,

Exile (name and address enclosed).