Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1918
Attempted murder
At Ballinasloe Petty Sessions on Saturday, Michael Colohan was charged with the attempted murder of Miss Mary Colohan at Dunlo Street on April 4 last, by cutting her face and neck.
Miss Colohan, the injured girl, deposed she remembered the day in question, and was in the shop when Colohan came in, at 3.45.
She was alone inside the counter, and he was outside at the lower end. Accused asked for a half-glass of whiskey, which she was proceeding to get, and had just taken down the bottle off the shelf.
Mr. Lea, D.I.: What happened then?
Witness: He (Colohan) drew something like a razor across my face.
Mr. Lea: Did he say anything at the time he did this?
Witness: He said that that would be the last half-glass of whiskey ever I would fill.
Mr. Lea: What did you do then?
Witness: I screamed and shouted as loud as I could, and then Mr. Murray came into the shop. I was afterwards attended by Dr. Collins, and was subsequently placed under Dr. Rossiter’s care in the hospital and was discharged last Monday.
Mr. Wade (R.M.): Had you any previous quarrel with this man?
Witness: No.
Dr. T. Tennison Collins deposed that Miss Colohan was sitting in the kitchen bleeding profusely from a wound about seven inches long and extending from the right side of the chin to a point about two inches below the left ear.
There was an artery also cut at the left side of the neck and he put in eight silver stitches and dressed the wounds. Her life was in danger for some time, and he had her removed to hospital. Mr. Wade said the charge was a very serious one altogether and he would refuse bail. The accused was returned for trial to Galway Assizes.
1943
Buses stopped
For the first time in a quarter of a century, the city of Galway is without a passenger omnibus service in consequence of the shortage of petrol. The service may be restored if this country receives a supply of petrol which is expected to arrive in a fortnight’s time. Should the supply fail to arrive, a situation of great gravity will arise so far as transport is concerned. In the meantime, efforts by the Mayor and the Chamber of Commerce to secure even a minimum omnibus service for the city by a slight readjustment of some long-distance services have failed to achieve the desired result. A possible solution of the difficulty would be the employment of one or two diesel-engined double-decker omnibuses such as are still operating in Cork and Limerick. The Galway traders consider it most unfair that Galway should be victimised by the complete stoppage of the ‘bus services. They consider that they have been very shabbily treated and express strong resentment.
House fire
A house, the property of Mr. Joseph S. Young, Galway, situated at Sickeen, was considerably damaged by fire on Sunday night. Galway Fire Brigade fought the flames with two lines of hose for some hours before the fire was brought under control. It is believed that the fire originated when embers were blown from a grate onto the floor by a down-draft in a chimney.
Butter shortage
It was stated at a meeting of Galway Chamber of Commerce on Monday night that while butter retailers in Dublin were receiving eight ounces of butter per week for each of their customers, retailers in Galway were receiving only two ounces.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
1921
Silence is golden
Leaders on both sides have stated that the best assistance the country can give in the making of peace is to keep silence.
During the past week there has been a great deal of speculation, most of it harmless enough, as, for instance, the enterprising American journalist’s “exclusive” on the first meeting of the British Premier and the President of the Irish Republic; much of it positively mischievous, as the case of the efforts of a certain journal, which has grown hoary in the reputation for throwing in the apple of discord, to anticipate failure in advance.
Our American colleague was on surer and on safer ground when he told of how de Valera and Lloyd George met.
“Mr. Lloyd George,” he cabled, “was sitting at his desk when the Irish President entered. For just a minute these two gazed fixedly at one another. Then the British Premier walked across the intervening space and shook de Valera by the hand. He led him to a seat where they sat side by side. The atmosphere was tense. They faced one another. Then Lloyd George reached down for a box of cigars. But the Irish President is of Spartan mould. He neither permits himself to drink nor smoke. He politely but firmly waved the box away. Mr. Lloyd George, however, selected and lighted a Havana, and as the smoke curled upwards the atmosphere became decidedly easier!”
Good planning
The wise and practical man always lays by a store against the time when supplies will be scarce. One of the most serious effects of the prolonged drought is the scarcity of supplies of fodder for cattle-feeding during the coming winter and spring.
The hay crop is not more than half the average yield. The corn crop is far below normal. Turnips in many districts are a partial failure. We have frequently emphasised the importance of growing catch-crops to supplement other feeding stuffs raised on the farm, but it is only under circumstances such as the present that their utility is brought home to farmers. Owing to the early harvest, a larger area than is usual can and should be put down this season. This would make good, to some extent, at least, the shortage of hay and other feeding-stuffs.
The demonstration plots laid down by the County Committee of Agriculture have shown that catch-crops, such as vetches and rye as well as other mixtures, can be successfully grown in all parts of County Galway.
We would urge on farmers the desirability – nay, the necessity – of procuring seed and making early preparation for the sowing of an increased area of catch-crops this season.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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1921
Peace at last
Hope “hath happy place” in this land of ours to-day. Those who disappoint it are the enemies not only of Ireland, but of civilisation. Before proceeding to the preliminary conference with Mr. Lloyd George at 10, Downing-street, yesterday afternoon, Mr. de Valera said that he thought the outlook for peace both from the British and Irish points of view was better than it had ever been in history.
The Irish leader would not make this statement unless he had good grounds for it. We may accept it as the confident prediction of one who has proceeded with extreme caution throughout these momentous negotiations.
Yet patient confidence in ultimate justice and patient endurance for a little are needed. There are those who would, if they could, thwart the coming of peace, but they will be borne aside by the widening will to peace, and the larger outlook that the coming of the Truce has brought.
The agony of these days that are past, as we hope for ever, is like a nightmare. Only last week, the pages of the “Tribune” told of the trials and tribulations through which the mothers and sisters of County Galway had gone. The stories related at the Quarter Sessions afforded some index of the hell of ceaseless apprehension and the dread which the women and children have had to bear for many months.
It would seem as if there could be no requital for their sorrows upon this earth. But there is sometimes a balance of justice in human affairs. To-day, as Ireland hopes and prays, this balance is about to be meted out as a common national inheritance.
The Truce has been observed in the spirit of mutual forbearance, good-will and generosity. One can conceive that the horrible conditions of the past nine months will ever be recalled. Indeed, there is no person who would desire or contrive at such an eventuality. Its very contemplation makes us fearful of the outcome of these fateful conferences.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
1921
Theft in Renmore
At about eleven o’clock on Saturday morning two employees of Miss Behan, carrier and forwarding agent, Galway, delivering a quantity of groceries, cigarettes, etc., at the Army and Navy Stores, Renmore, were held up at the turn of the road leading into Renmore by six men who had come down from the Oranmore road.
The drivers were requested to stop the horses, and this being done, two members of the party searched the cars minutely. One of the two who had searched the cars took away a box of containing a quantity of cigarettes to the value of £30.
The drivers reported the matter on arrival at the military barracks and subsequently investigations were made but without success.
Death in pavilion blaze
Set ablaze early on Friday morning last, the pavilion at Athenry tennis and cricket ground was destroyed. Half buried in the debris on the morning following were found the charred remains of a human being.
Shortly after midnight many of the inhabitants of Athenry were awakened by the lurid flames from the north side of the town which shone all over the place. After some time, the local R.I.C. visited the place and found the pavilion had been almost gutted and gone beyond any hope of salvage.
They, however, succeeded in removing a quantity of the wool which the caretaker, Mr. P. Doherty, had stored in an adjoining shed. Delph, costly cutlery, linens and furniture to the value of £100 were reduced to ashes, as were also two sets of harness and a small sum of money, the property of the caretaker.
When the place ceased smouldering on the following day the charred remains of a human being rendered unrecognisable by the flames were found in the cellar.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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