Threatening language, pigs & hens drowned and a Galway Races ‘experiment

Stories from the pages of the Tribune from 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.

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1913

Threatening language

At Portumna Petty Sessions, James Donohoe, Derraking, had Michael Daniel summoned for threatening language and to show cause why he should not be bound to the peace. Mr. James J. Kearns, solr., appeared for the complainant.

Mr. Kearns said the language and threats were used on the 15th July on a turf bank which was being cut by complainant, of which Mr. Young was landlord.

Some time previous to July, Mr Young came on the property, and objected on the occasion to the quantity of turf cut by Donohoe and other tenants, but said he would not interfere that year. Michael Daniel is a son of Mr. Young’s herd, and on the date in question, he threatened Jas. Donohoe. Donohoe’s father was cutting the bank for over 50 years.

James Donohoe added that Daniel told him to clear away. He said that he would do six months for him. He told him to bring out his father. Daniel had a stick. His father did not come out. He was afraid of Daniel.

Cross-examined by defendant: Two other men were in the place. Martin Donohoe, father of witness, said that on the date in question, one of his sons came for him. He did not go out. He was afraid of Daniel. Defendant was bound to the peace for 12 months.  

1938

Pigs and hens drowned

A story of a flood in Oughterard that drowned pigs and hens was told to the county finance committee of the Galway County Council by Mr. Harry O’Toole.

Mr. O’Toole told the committee that the river was narrow at a sharp turn of the bed in Oughterard and was unable to take away all the water in time of flood. After the rain of the previous day the flood that morning (Saturday) was unusually heavy and a number of people had to go out and transfer fowl and bonhams to a place of safety. Some hens and pigs were, in fact, drowned.

Mr. Perry, former county surveyor, had intended to blast away part of the bend to give the water a clear run and to build a 100 yards long wall to confine the river, but did not get an opportunity to do it. He wondered if the Council would get that work done now.

On the suggestion of the chairman, it was agreed to ask Mr. M.J. Kennedy, county surveyor, for a report.

1963

Galway Races experiment

Galway Races of 1963 will be remembered primarily as the meeting at which the experiment of opening with evening races was inaugurated. A decision on whether the experiment is to become a regular feature of the famed three-day event will be taken later.

 As has been usual for the past few years race eve in Galway-Salthill on Monday was quiet with large crowds making the most of the glorious heatwave.

Beaches along the coastline were packed and the bed bureaux in Eglinton Street and at Salthill were fully geared to meet a record demand for accommodation. The splendid weather continued on Tuesday and in the afternoon the trek to the course was off.

The evening meeting was launched to very favourable circumstances from the point of view of the weather. The intense heat of the afternoon had faded by the time racing began.

The attendance figures and the tote figures for the opening day last year and the experimental evening meeting make an interesting comparison. There was an increase of over 1,000 in the attendance on Tuesday evening, while the tote figures were up substantially.

The general opinion appeared to be strongly in favour of the evening meeting. Business people in the city were especially emphatic that it was a most welcome development affording their staffs an opportunity of attending.

1988

Ballyforan death knell

The death knell has finally been rung for the ‘miracle’ multi-million pound industry which was to provide 600 jobs for the East Galway area, with the confirmation from the Bord na Mona chief executive that the proposed Ballyforan peat briquette plant had been completely ruled out of the company’s plans.

Tickets ‘foul up’

There was growing consternation this week among loyal Galway hurling supporters who are unable to lay their hands on tickets for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final clash against Offaly.

And they are blaming the Hurling Board for the method of distributing the rather limited number of tickets the county received from G.A.A. headquarters.

Supporters were under the impression it would be a first-come, first-served basis on which the tickets would be distributed, but to their dismay, they have had to file applications with the Hurling Board and await their luck.

Record house bid

Auctioneer Martin Tyrrell announced a new record price of £75,000 for a house at Ballymote, Tuam. The price includes carpets, curtains and some extra items.