October 25, 2012

Date Published: 24-Oct-2012

1912

Aviation meeting

A large number of people from Athenry went to Tuam on Monday for the aviation meeting, and the special trains from various places conveyed large numbers, and from accounts to hand, all were pleased with the day’s proceedings. A good many of our local sports are anxious to have an aviation meeting in Athenry, but as no enclosure is available, the financing of the undertaking is difficult.

Let there be light

A move is on foot in Portumna to light the town with electricity, and already two meetings have been held to forward the project. Any new installation will be welcomed as a vast improvement on the antiquated lights that hitherto illuminated the town. They were only a light in name, and seemed to be a target of ridicule for all who beheld them.

Fake professor

At Ballinasloe Quarter Sessions, before His Honour Judge Anderson, K.C., John H. Dooley pleaded guilty to a charge of falsely representing himself as a Professor of the new College at Galway, and that he was deputed by the Most Rev. Dr. O’Dea, Bishop of Galway, to enrol scholars for the College, and by this means obtaining food and lodging. The second indictment was for obtaining money by representing that he was the proprietor of a school of tuition.

Mr. Elder (who appeared for the accused) said no one regretted the unfortunate business more than his client. He was apparently a very intelligent man, and was for some years a tutor in Co. Galway, previous to which he was in the 1st Battalion of the Connaught Rangers, where his character records were very good.

He was a man who was hard-up and inclined to take a drop of drink. His Honour passed a sentence of three months’ imprisonment for the first charge, and ‘three months’ for the second, the sentences to run concurrently, from the date of committal.

1937

Céad Míle Fáilte

There was an amusing incident when the evening Galway-Clifden ‘bus arrived crowded at Ballinafad on Wednesday. When the ‘bus stopped all the passengers got out to attend the wedding of Miss Delia O’Malley. One seeing the ‘bus empty, the remaining passenger who was an American visitor thought he had arrived at Clifden and promptly followed the crowd. He was afforded a Céad Míle Fáilte which more than compensated him for his mistake.

Strike threat off

It was learned during the weekend that the strike threat by the members of the Irish Engineering Union in Tuam beet factory, whose six days’ notice to the Irish Sugar Co. to terminate their services, expired on Saturday last, had been declared off. This news was received with general satisfaction owing to the approach of the sugar campaign in Tuam factory.

It is expected to open during the first week in November. It is understood that both sides to the dispute have agreed to the setting up of a Conciliation Board to adjust their differences.

Ballinasloe pitch development

A request to Ballinasloe U.D.C. to ask the Department for a loan to develop Duggan Memorial Park and Sports Field was made by members of the Sports and Development Association. Rev. Father Hughes, who headed to the deputation, asked the Council to negotiate a loan under the Towns Improvement Act, and use that loan for the development of the park.

“This had been done in other towns. If the Council could get this loan, the sports field could be properly developed. The Sports’ Association had not the funds necessary at their disposal to develop it as they would like, and until such time as the grounds are developed properly, the results that they at one time hoped for would not be forthcoming.

“I think If a deputation went to the governors of Garbally College, it would be possible to get the hill behind the showgrounds, which would make an admirable site for a grandstand, and which would accommodate up to 20,000 people,” said Father Hughes.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.