Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

5 years ago

July 26, 2018

Enda Cunningham

Members of the Dutch company Vis a Vis perform on their sunken campervan in a promotional scene from their survival comedy, Drift, in the Claddagh Basin for the Galway Arts Festival in July 1997. The comic spectacle was held at the Festival Big Top on a set imersed in a giant tank containing 57,000 gallons of water.

1918

Galway student sentenced

At Belfast Assizes, Thomas Derrig and Thos Kettrick, of Westport, were charged with demanding a military rifle by threats from a family named Ralph. The prisoners were found guilty, with a recommendation to leniency. Lord Justice Molony sentenced Derrig to five months’ imprisonment, without hard labour, in the second division. He was a young man who, apart from having been interned – a circumstance which didn’t influence his Lordship in fixing the sentence – had not previously been brought under the notice of the law.

As to the fact he was a student in Galway College one could not, as a police witness remarked, judge people’s obedience to the law by their education. But he had instincts of humanity, because he turned down the revolver raised by Kettrick towards the women.

That was why hard labour was not imposed. As regards Kettrick, who was undergoing a sentence of six months, with a further six months in default of bail, his lordship sentenced him to six months, with hard labour, because he raised a revolver to defenceless women.

Prisoner of war

The parents of Rifleman Alex Hendry, who reside at Bohermore, have received news that he is a prisoner of War in Germany. Rifleman Hendry, formerly a conductor on Galway Tram Co., at the age of eighteen years, joined the Hussars in March 1916, and was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles, and sent to France in December 1916.

He fought at Messines and was in several engagements at Ypres and Cambrai. He was captured on 21st March, 1918 at St. Quintin. He states he is well treated.

The ‘flu

During the past few weeks, a large number of ‘flu cases were treated in the Co. Hospital, Galway. Among the victims to the epidemic were some members of the nursing staff. Two probationers who were on duty at the Union hospitals had to be recalled from that institution to cope with the extra work.

1943

Race Week bookings

The famous Galway Race Week always brought a tremendous influx to the Western capital, but this year it looks as if all previous records are going to be eclipsed. For weeks, Galway City and Salthill have been thronged with visitors to an unusual extent and the bookings for the famous sporting week have taxed the accommodation to the utmost, despite the residents’ extensive preparations based upon practical experiences in the past.

Hotel and restaurant proprietors and boarding house keepers have exerted themselves nobly to ensure that there will be no shortage of food supplies despite the emergency and the crowds of visitors from over the Border have expressed themselves as delighted with the catering.

Motors ban

The Minister for Supplies reminds owners of the strict prohibition on the use of motor vehicles for attendance at race meetings. Serious notice, says an announcement from the Department, including revocation of the permit in each case, will be take of the use of any motor vehicle travelling in connection with Galway Races.

Owners of hackney vehicles, in particular, are reminded of their obligation to ensure that their vehicles are not misused for this purpose.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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.

Up Next

Big double is on but some tough hurdles ahead of Galway teams

Don't Miss

Galway left with food for thought after coming up short against Kilkenny

Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

2 days ago

February 2, 2023

Stephen Corrigan

Orla McArdle, Leonie Ryan, Maeve Lohan, Sinéad Armstrong, Maria Lyons and Paul Ryan who were taking part in the Coláiste Iognáid production of 'Joseph' in the Jesuit Hall, Sea Road on February 5, 1991.

1923

Training ex-soldiers

A meeting of the committee of Galway Technical Institute was held on Tuesday, Mr. Eraut presiding.

The secretary, Dr. Webb, stated that there was a deputation outside from the Galway Carpenters’ Society in reference to the offer made by the Ministry of Labour to the committee to have up to 100 ex-soldiers trained in the institute in various crafts from joinery to thatching houses and making tin cans.

The difficulty he foresaw in regard to the scheme was to train maimed ex-solders and for this the Ministry of Labour was willing to give the committee 15s. per head per week. It was a money-making scheme so far as that committee was concerned, and would result in bringing a good deal of money into the city, because there would also be certain allowances for the wives and dependents.

He estimated that it would mean something like £200 or £300 per week. It was a question for the committee whether they would provide these classes. He had inquired from an authoritative source whether the training of these men would be likely to interfere with the employment of the recognised carpenter, and he was informed in the negative.

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.

Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

1 week ago

January 26, 2023

Stephen Corrigan

Taking part in the West of Ireland Bridge Congress at UCG in April 1983 were Phil Carey, Newcastle, Eileen Murphy, Taylor's Hill, Carmel Howard, Cross Street and Claire Burke, Salthill. This year’s Bridge Congress is taking place next week at the Ardilaun Hotel from February 3 to February 5.

1923

Islanders’ distress

A correspondent sends authentic particulars of distress prevailing in the Islands of Aran. There is extreme poverty in Inishmore, especially in Killeany; large numbers in the village are on the verge of starvation, kept alive by the charity of neighbours, with scarcely a healthy child amongst them.

The people own no land, notwithstanding that the Congested Districts Board has a large tract; they fish and labour when the former is profitable or practicable and when the work can be found. To-day they are without either.

Similar stories come from other island villages. Yet last October Mr. Blythe stated in the Dáil that £1,000 had been granted for the relief of distress on the islands. The money was placed at the disposal of the Galway Rural District Council, which refused to have anything to do with the scheme.

Accordingly, the grant was never made. It is alleged that the inhabitants of Inishmore have refused to pay rates, but islanders state in reply that rates were not collected for some two years, nor were demand notes issued. The whole position is so grave that it should be looked into without further delay, and we understand that all the circumstances have been referred to Deputy O’Connell for this purpose.

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.

Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2023

Stephen Corrigan

Students Yvonne O’Byrne, Edel Comer, Janice Butler, Orla Casserley, Lisa Small, Sinéad Irvine, Emer Burke, Alva McManus and Ciara Hanley who took part in the Dominican College, Taylor's Hill, production of the musical 'My Fair Lady' at the Rosary Hall in January 1998.

1923

Narrow escape

A party of four men, who arrived in the village in a motor-car, engaged in a murderous attack on the barracks occupied by the unarmed Civic Guard at Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, about three a.m. on Wednesday.

Shots and bombs were fired through the windows, and some of the sleeping guards had narrow escapes from bullets, and subsequently had to dash through the petrol-inspired flames for safety.

The village is a peaceable one, and the Guards have recently been carrying out their work in it with quiet efficiency. During the recent warfare, there had been no disturbance in the neighbourhood.

The Guards retired as usual on Tuesday night, and about three a.m. on Wednesday morning they were awakened by the crash of rifles.

A moment later flames sprang up, and it was seen that the barracks had been sprinkled with petrol and fired. Bombs were first fired through the windows, then petrol was thrown in, and the place was set on fire.

The small body of four Guards found themselves compelled to seek shelter from the bullets, and then they had to make a dash to escape the flames that were springing up around them.

Sergeant Rodgers had an exceedingly narrow escape, a bullet grazing his head. Guard Grimes was sleeping beneath a window when it was broken and petrol thrown over his head.

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.