November 27, 2009

Date Published: {J}

Mr Corbett. (for Capt. Craig) amid ironical Nationalist cheers, yesterday asked the Chief Secretary in the House of Commons why the Union Jack was not flown as usual on the King’s Birthday from the Galway University buildings?

Mr. Birrell said that he was informed by the President of the College that, under the College Statutes, the King’s Birthday was not a holiday, and was not observed.

Mr Corbett: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that all over the loyal parts of the North of Ireland (Nationalist laughter) – I know the right hon. Gentleman treats this with contempt – it is the custom to hoist the Union Jack, the emblem of the unity of Empire?

Mr. Birrell: I have no knowledge.

Wife shot

On Saturday morning a painful shooting affray took place at Ashfield, about three miles from Loughrea. It appears that a young man, as a result of a domestic quarrel, took up as alleged a loaded gun and told his wife he was going to shoot her.

Becoming alarmed, she rushed towards the door of an adjoining room, but before reaching it, she was hit on the back by a charge of gunshot, sustaining terrible injuries.

The man immediately afterwards reported the occurrence at the Kilchreest police barracks, where he was taken into custody.

Fire death

Early on the morning of Tuesday, 23rd inst. The house of a man named Tom Toole, adjacent to the National Bank, Clifden, was discovered to be on fire by Constables Mannion and Barrett, whose houses adjoin. The constables were awakened by the smoke of the burning house entering their rooms, and they got quickly out of their beds at about 4.30am to find the top storey of the dwelling ablaze.

All the available police and many of the townspeople, including Dr. Gorham and Mr. Ruttledge, of the National Bank, were soon on the scene, but their efforts to extinguish the flames were for a very considerable time unavailing, owing to the fact that there was neither hose, hydrant nor fire engine of any description provided for the town.

1934

Petrol pump grant

At the weekly meeting of the Finance Committee of Galway County Council on Saturday, Mr Martin Quinn, chairman, said he had received a letter from the Department stating that the Council should grant a licence for a petrol pump to Mr. E. Sweeney, Corrib Hotel, Oughterard.

The Council had heard an application by Mr. Sweeney for a petrol pump licence and had refused the application. Mr. Sweeney had appealed to the Department and the Department’s order now was a result of that appeal.

Salthill Church

Mr. Owen Larkin, the well-known Ballinasloe contractor, secured the contract for the new church at Salthill, Galway, and work was begun on Tuesday. It is expected that the church will be completed by early summer of 1936. This will give to Salthill a new and badly-needed place of Catholic worship and it is felt that it will bring more people to the increasingly popular seaside resort.

Very Rev. P. Canon Davis, P.P., has already erected a church at Furbough and when the Salthill church is completed, it will give to the parish of Rahoon five places of worship: St. Joseph’s (Galway), Bushypark, Barna, Furbough and Salthill. Ultimately, it is believed that the parish of Rahoon will have to be divided so that it will become two separate parishes, one for the rural area, and one for the immediate precincts of the city.

Vermin threat

A determined effort to exterminate vermin, an increasing danger to game in Connemara, is now being made. Following a meeting of the Connemara Vermin Destruction Association, the notice below has been issued and is prominently displayed throughout the area.

“From November 15 to December 31, 1934, the following rewards will be paid: Fox, 5s. The whole fox, head, skin and tail to be brought to one of the undermentioned who will give a receipt for the skull. The secretary, W. Langen, Inver Lodge, Maam Cross, will pay, by cheque or postal order, when the receipt is sent to him. Badger 2s. 6d., cash will be paid, and a receipt taken for grey crows, 9d., hawks, 9d., magpies 6d.”

Beet factory

The sugar beet campaign will open in Tuam Beet Factory on Friday, 26th inst., which is the first anniversary of the cutting of the first sod on the factory site. The beet has been arriving at the factory for the past week by rail and regular supplies will reach there from Friday daily. Whilst the exact date of the official opening has not yet been definitely fixed, it is expected to be about December 5.

Loughrea jobs need

The Ceann Comhairle has impressed on the Minister for Industry the great need of employment in Loughrea and the desirability of establishing something to give permanent work. He advised the Industrial Association (local) to meet and examine the question of capital and what they would regard as a suitable industry for the town. 1959

Stolen wheel

“If a similar case comes before me again I will sent the persons concerned to jail without the option of a fine,” said Justice P.J. Loftus at Dunmore Court where he imposed fines of £5 on two local men who pleaded guilty to stealing a motor car wheel, tyre and tube valued £10, the property of Frank O’Brien, Kilkerrin, at Dunmore.

Supt. Brett, Tuam, said that Mr. O’Brien had arrived in Dunmore from Kilkerrin with the intention of going with a dance band. When he returned in the early hours of the morning he got into his own car and travelled some distance when he discovered that one of his wheels had been replaced with a worn tyre. The wheel was a smaller type than the original.

Menu change

The substitution of mutton for beef and bacon at Ballinasloe Mental Hospital, where there are over 2,000 patients and staff, has resulted in a considerable reduction on costs. At a meeting last October, it was suggested that as prices for sheep and lambs were very low and as there was a surplus of sheep in the county, the changeover from bacon to mutton on some days of the week should show a big saving.

Crimewave

Notwithstanding warnings issued by the Gardaí the wave of vandalism and robberies continues in Galway. During the past week, three petrol pump bowls were broken in two separate filling stations in the Salthill area. The headlamps of a stationary car in the area were smashed, but when the culprits were followed, they made good their escape during last weekend. Three seats and part of the floor of the Savoy Cinema were destroyed by fire.

A box of chocolates was stolen in broad daylight from a shop in Salthill. The culprits who were successful on the first occasion are said to have attempted a similar robbery .

Sufficient phones

Mr. FIntan Coogan, T.D., has received the following reply from the Secretary, the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, regarding telephones in Galway City: “The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs desires me to refer to your enquiry regarding waiting applicants for telephones in Galway City. Excluding 46 telephones which are in course of installation, there are 33 waiting applicants all of whom will, it is hoped, have service within the next four months.

“An extensive cabling scheme at present in progress is expected to be completed in May-June next when the whole city will be satisfactory from the point of view of cabling.”

Port scheme

The Minister for Transport and Fuel, Mr. E. Childers, said in the Dáil that he hoped to have reached a decision on the Galway Harbour Development Scheme before Christmas, or a little later. The Minister was replying to questions by Ald. F. Coogan, T.D., who asked if it was the Minister’s intention to request the Harbour Board to re-advertise for the scheme, or accept the next lowest tender.

1984

Taxman threat

Thousands of farmers in County Galway were warned this week to prepare themselves for the clutches of the taxman – for they are potentially liable for the Government’s new Land Tax. That was the grim news spelled out by a Farm Management specialist who said that all full-time farmers with 20 adjusted acres or more would be liable for the £10 per adjusted acre tax.

Water hold-up

The Government was this week accused of condemning thousands of families in County Galway to further years of drudgery – by holding up grant money for sixty group water schemes involving about 2,500 houses.

A Fianna Fáil member of Galway County Council said that group water schemes were experiencing delays as long as eleven months at varying stages of development because the Government did not want to hand over the grant money.

Row settled

A major row between city officials and a group of residents worried about the safety of their children has been settled by a seven-point agreement reached on safety measures at the city’s first roundabout near Corrib Park. People living in the 317-house Corrib Park estate formed a human barricade earlier this week to prevent the roundabout from being opened by Galway Corporation.

But their action has been called off following agreement on the provision of a new four foot high wall running along a new section of road linking the roundabout with Seamus Quirke Road.

Seapoint ballroom

Not even the angry weather could have kept them away from Seapoint last night. They had come in their hundreds to pay tribute to the ballroom that had given them so many memories. It was only fitting therefore that it should be Herb Miller and his nineteen-man orchestra that would add volumes to the nostalgia that was hanging in the air.

Lightning strike

A mother and her five children will have to spend Christmas away from their family home as a result of a freak bolt of lightning which struck the house on the outskirts of the city early yesterday morning. Mrs. Eileen Henihan’s bungalow home on Monument Road, Menlo was one of a number of houses in the area to be hit by lightning, but hers suffered the most damage, with a fire causing extensive damage to the attic and a burst water tank destroying ceilings.