October 20, 2011

Date Published: {J}

1911

Craughwell ‘terrorism’

Kate Holland, Craughwell, claimed damages for injury to her horse, and the breaking of her windows. Dr. Comyn, solr., appeared for the applicant, and Mr. O’Toole, solr., appeared for the District Council, and Mr. Glynn, solr., for two Craughwell ratepayers.

The applicant’s husband swore that four or five men entered his house on a Saturday night (Aug.19th), with blackened faces, beat him, broke three windows in the front of his house, and one window in the gable. Next morning, the mane and tail were cut off his horse.

Witness belonged to what was known as the Tom Kenny party in Craughwell, and had saved Kenny’s hay a fortnight before. Witness had been refused goods in Mrs. Jenning’s shop in Craughwell. She told him to go home and send someone for them, but that she could not give them to himself.

Dr. Comyn: Did she say why?

Witness: She said she was afraid. Witness having proceeded to give evidence of value, he stated that he now considered that he did not claim enough for the breaking of windows.

Dr. Comyn: Why?

Witness: Because I couldn’t get in a window at all now.

His Honor: An extraordinary state of things in a civilised country!

Mr. Glynn: Extraordinary wrongs require extraordinary remedies in some cases, your Honor. We don’t live up in a balloon, and everybody knows the state of terrorism that existed in Craughwell, until the people took the matter into their own hands.

Kat Holland, the wife of the previous witness, corroborated.

To Mr. Glynn: Neither herself nor her children were boycotted in Craughwell. She could get all the goods they desired.

After police evidence had been tendered, Michael Connelly, a carpenter, swore he was prepared to restore all the damaged for 30s. His Honor adjourned the case generally, the witness to restore the windows for the sum mentioned.

1936

Sugar factory strike

The sugar campaign which was to have started in Tuam factory this week has been held up owing to the uncertainty of the strike situation extending from Mallow to the other sugar factories. Last week, steaming-up operations preparatory to the campaign were started and the Railway Company had arrangements completed by rail and road for conveyance of beet to the factory.

Then followed the notices served on all workers by the Sugar Company asking them to reply within 24 hours giving an undertaking that they would remain at work during the campaign and not go out on strike.

It is understood that the men refused to give the undertaking, and the Sugar Company immediately served notices on all employees, terminating their services in one week. This notice expires on Saturday. A similar notice, it is stated, has been served on clerks and other officials terminating their services after one month.

Following this notice, the Railway Company recalled the special staffs sent out in connection with the campaign, and the conveyance of beet, which was in full swing for two or three days, was stopped.

Other preparations for the campaign in the factory were also cancelled. The notices served on the men expire on Saturday and unless there is some settlement in the meantime, serious loss may result to workers and farmers.

Athenry school

At a meeting of the Athenry Industrial and General Purposes Committee, a long discussion took place in connection with the provision of an additional national school. It was pointed out that Athenry should be an ideal centre for a vocational school, being situated in a good agricultural district and surrounded with numerous villages, all within easy reach of the town.

Several of the members said a vocational school was a great necessity for Athenry, as there was no such school within miles of the district; young boys and girls, whose parents were not able to afford to send them to Galway or elsewhere, were in many cases, allowed to waste their time after leaving the national school, while waiting for a job.

It was also decided that the committee would make every effort to speed up the lighting of the town by facilitating the ESB in extending their mains to Athenry.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.