September 15, 2011

Date Published: {J}

1911

Police force

The superior officers of the large force of extra police in Athenry have been at their wits end for a long time past to procure employment for the large number of men at their disposal, and light should be thrown on some of the things which are taking place.

Nothing in the nature of agrarian disturbance has existed in the Athenry district for the past 12 months, and three are no grass ranches to be protected, still the huge force is retained in the town. To give some idea of how police find employment, we may just refer to some of the items.

The Department of Agriculture own a few acres of land near the railway station which is the object of police attention during the night. This is number one. Then Dr. Quinlan, who gave evidence in the Craughwell murder case, also receives the close attention of police at night.

The latest burden placed on the shoulders of police is the station master at Athenry, who receives police protection the whole night long.

Police protection in Athenry is a big thing, and the ratepaying community know little of how it affects them. For each of the cases above mentioned a strong patrol goes out at dusk, and lies in ambush near the place, and a strong patrol means three policemen, a sergeant with a double-barrelled shotgun, and two constables with magazine rifle.

Thus, for the three cases above mentioned, nine police go out at dusk, and have to be relieved later in the night by nine fresh men, who remain vigilant until dawn, so that practically for these few cases, work is found for 18 policemen for one day’s work as the men engaged in night duty are exempt from day duty. Working out a financial burden on the ratepayers for these 18 men, we have a sum of £720 per annum on the rates.

This is not even the entire cost of this strong patrol system, because a head-constable had to inspect these strong patrols, and in order to add importance and dignity to the deed, he is accommodated with a transport car.

1936

Safety first

The traffic problem which daily grows more complicated cannot be solved from the angle of the motorist alone. It must be approached from the pedestrian angle. The plan of the Saorstat Government to have all school children instructed in simple precautions in regard to traffic dangers is commendable.

The Local Government Department and the Department of Education have combined in this scheme, and 300,000 copies of a specially prepared leaflet have been distributed to the schools.

Teachers have also been requested to give talks on road caution. It is stated that during the past five years, 223 children were killed and over 3,000 injured in road accidents in this country.

If children acquire the habit of care on the streets and roads that habit will live with them and one of the chief sources of danger will thus be removed.

Fatal fall

A plasterer from Lower Abbeygate-street, Galway, fell a distance of fourteen feet from a skylight at Mr. McCambridge’s premises in Shop-street, on Thursday and died in the Central Hospital that evening as a result of injuries received.

It appears that the man was doing plastering work near the skylight in the morning, and he is said to have slipped and fallen to a yard below, a distance of fourteen feet. He was seriously injured about the head, and was immediately attended by Dr. J.J. Watters and Rev. P. Glynn, C.C., College House, Galway.

An ambulance was called and the injured man was removed to the always Central Hospital, where he died at 5.45, without having regained consciousness.

Missing sheep

Sixty-one sheep have disappeared from a County Galway farm and no trace can be found of them in any part of the country. Guards and detectives are making widespread enquiries, ports are being watched, but no information has yet been received about the sheep.

They belonged to Mr. Patrick Furey, Co.C., Currandulla, and were, it is stated, on the lands on Tuesday night. They were gone the following morning. Fairs were watched and enquiries made from sheep dealers. It is believed that this robbery on a high scale was well organised. Investigations are still going on.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.