Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

2 years ago

October 11, 2018

Our Reporter

Taoiseach Sean Lemass at the opening ceremony for Tynagh Mines in October, 1965, which was attended by 1,300 home and overseas guests, including almost 200 who were flown in from Canada on a special charter flight.

1918

New cinema theatre

It is reported that a Dublin syndicate is being put together for the purpose of securing premises in Galway to establish a new cinema theatre on an extensive scale. It has been known that some time ago a popular vocalist contemplated establishing a company in the Gaiety Theatre, but we understand that Mr. J.P. McGurk, who visited Galway last week, intends to run a cinema theatre on Sunday nights as usual, while Mr. John Glynn will run pictures on Thursday and Friday nights.

With regard to the report referred to above, it is stated that the company, which contemplates the establishment of a cinema theatre in Galway, has in view the purchase of Mr. B. Connolly’s premises, which are advertised for sale on Oct. 24 by Mr. John M. Lavelle, auctioneer.

Loss of a life boat

In many respects, the boat “Fear Not”, belonging to Mr. Tom Smith, Salthill, which was wrecked in the gale on Sunday week, may be described as a life boat, for, on more than one occasion, it has been responsible, under the guidance of its owner, for plucky deeds of life-saving.

The craft broke from its moorings in a recent gale and went ashore on the Grattan-road, being badly damaged. The subscription, which is being got up for Mr. Smith in order that he may be able to put it in a proper state of repair, is sure of a generous response.

A boat of the kind is an indispensable asset to Salthill, and none the less so because it is under the private ownership of a gallant old salt like Mr. Tom Smith.

1943

Prom widening scheme

On the proposition of Mr. J.D. Whelan, President, seconded by Mr. J. Cremin, the Council of Galway Chamber of Commerce on Monday night unanimously approved of the plans for the widening of the main road adjoining the Promenade at Salthill by encroaching on the lands away from the seafront.

Mr. J.D. Whelan, who submitted a rough draft of the plans, said that the scheme was a “splendid” one. The islands which, it was proposed, would be laid out at intervals between the new road and the present road would be used as carparks and a kiosk for the sale of newspapers, sweets, etc., would be built.

The scheme would give Salthill a beautiful stretch of road which would be safe for traffic and for children.

The President said that very few people had seen the plans. The scheme would give a big amount of employment that was badly needed at present. It was not proposed at this stage to do any work on the seaward side of the road.

The President said that as the road stood at present it was a death-trap.

Land under threat

In a report on South Park, Borough Surveyor, Mr. J.S. Carroll submitted: “There is evidence that serious erosion has taken place along the seaward boundary of South Park. I understand that this land was at one time covered by high tides. At some period it was reclaimed, principally along the shoreside where a shallow embankment was tipped close to the shore.

“A large portion inside this strip, however, still is below high tide level and would be flooded by a breach in the embankment. As you will readily understand, refuse is easily eroded and I have no doubt erosion has been going on here since the embankment was first formed – I cannot say when.

“I fear that a breach will occur during the coming winter if something is not done to prevent it.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2021

Stephen Corrigan

Runners pass the Maxol Garage during the Turloughmore Road Races on June 18, 1981.

1921

Ambush thwarted

Our North Galway correspondent writes: A report was widely circulated on Friday that an ambush party had collected at Gortaleam, a district midway between Dunmore and Glenamaddy.

Two accounts are given of how the report was made, one being that an aeroplane which happened to cross over that part of the country on Friday “spotted” the supposed ambushers and conveyed the intelligence to Galway that groups of men were observed collecting.

The other account, and the one which receives semi-official confirmation, says that an eye-witness of the ambush preparations conveyed the information to a party of police or to Dunmore.

On Saturday morning, forces of auxiliary police and military converged on the scene. It was learned subsequently that no traces of the reported ambushers were to be seen. No walls were knocked, and the roads in the district were not tampered with, although authorities suggest there is no doubt from the fact that the ground was trampled in the vicinity and that other evidences have come under their notice that an ambush was in course of preparation.

Gortaleam is a bleak, open district, and one could not be impressed with the place as being a likely selection for an ambush, although it is suggested the hilly district offered a clear view of the approach along the road and ample cover for retreat.

At a bend in the road stands Gortaleam national school, and a high hill rises up at the back, commanding a view of the surrounding country for a considerable distance. There is an old ruin on the other side of the road opposite the school. It was reported that “the school children were kept locked in by armed men,” but the teacher in charge, when interviewed, declined to make any statement about the matter.

Crown forces searched extensively through the neighbouring district on Saturday. Ever since Dunmore, Glenamaddy, Clonberne, Williamstown, and Kilkerrin have been visited by auxiliaries who searched and interrogated every man they came across. On Sunday, the people leaving the chapels in some of these places were surrounded and terrified.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

1 week ago

February 25, 2021

Stephen Corrigan

Teatime on the Morrissey Farm in Clonshee, Ahascragh in June 1951. Pictured beside the mowing machine and horses Charlie and Bly is John Morrissey with six of his 12 children, Joseph, Seán, Eileen, Michael, Annie and Willie.

1921

Growing neglect

The meeting of the County Galway National Teachers’ Association merits the attention of a considerably wider body than that which may be said to have a professional interest in education.

These meetings, which are held primarily for purposes of organisation, have an absorbing interest and a vital concern for all who desire the future well-being of our young people.

Whilst conditions of employment must naturally be an important concern for primary teachers, Saturday’s meeting revealed the fact that their minds are exercised by the deplorable and growing neglect of primary education.

The statement of the outgoing chairman that out of seven hundred thousand school-going children, there are two hundred thousand absentees from the national schools every day; this compels immediate attention and demands effective action on the part of all whose duty it is to enforce attendance at school.

That means that nearly one-third of the pupils are absent from school daily. There could be no graver reflection on the parent, the public bodies and their school attendance committees and the spiritual directors than that thirty out of every one hundred pupils are absent from the schools every day.

“Do the people,” as the chairman asked, “realise the havoc such a state of things works amongst us as a nation? Is it any wonder that so many of our countrymen and countrywomen are condemned to a life of drudgery, bordering upon a condition of slavery, at home and abroad.”

In recent years we have heard much of the attractiveness of school programmes, but the obvious inference from this lamentable disclosure would appear to be that children dislike that “dry drudgery at the desk’s dead wood,” or that they are neither encouraged nor compelled by their parents or guides to thread the path of learning.

Whatever the cause, the fact is a national scandal.

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

February 18, 2021

Stephen Corrigan

Flooding in front of the Spanish Arch and Galway City Museum on November 11, 1977.

1921

What the public wants

Apart from the fact that to permit young children to remain up late in the heavy atmosphere of a picture theatre is detrimental to their health, there can be little objection to children seeing pictures – provided always they are the right kind of picture.

Recently, we have had a surplus of war propaganda pictures. The world is heartily sick of the game of killing and all its hideous trappings. We want to turn the young minds to the victories of peace, to the ways of high endeavour and moral greatness, to replace sordid meanness and intrigue with sterling honour and openness of the soul.

Stories of the crude justice of the Wild West are scarcely calculated to do this, any more than the hectic and neurotic ethical standard set up in silly serials may be supposed to direct the young idea along the paths that are best in life.

And we want happy, healthy laughter. The comedy pictures are perhaps the least objectionable. Bud Fisher stands alone, perhaps, in the great work he has done for humanity. But why should not filmmakers and scenario writers gather more from the old classical novels and the best stories from modern writers, from all that is noble and of good report, and less from the ugly things in life?

We suppose, as in the case of the yellow Press, so long as war and tragedy are “good selling lines” the film producers will “play them up”. In other words, they will give the public what it wants and therefore, what it deserves.

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.