Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

2 years ago

October 18, 2018

Our Reporter

Boys from Clifden pictured with Most Rev Dr Joseph Cunnane, Archbishop of Tuam, after he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation in May 1972.

1918

Shooting outrage

From further particulars regarding the firing at Mr. J.G. Alcorn, J.P., Kilroe House, Headford, while on his way to Mass at Currandulla, it appears that his assailant had fired the shot when Mr. Alcorn had gone on some yards past the point where he was concealed behind the hedge.

It seems that a woman on her way from early Mass met Mr. Alcorn and the man, Burke, who were on a car on the road just opposite the place where the person was concealed, and this evidently prevented his firing when he had Mr. Alcorn in a direct range, as he was probably afraid of shooting the woman.

Five bullets lodged in Mr. Alcorn’s jaw and neck. The remainder of the charge lodged in the two heavy coats which he was wearing, thereby saving him from being seriously wounded in the side and shoulders.

With blood flowing freely from the wounds in his jaw and neck, Mr. Alcorn attended at Mass, and after it was over, addressed the congregation outside the chapel.

He told the people of what had occurred to him, and said he was sorry he had not been shot dead, instead of being left alive in a place where there were such savages as those who perpetrated such an outrage. He never thought that there were such people in Annaghdown.

Mr. Alcorn was afterwards treated at the Monastery, and had his wounds dressed. The report concludes with the usual formula, “No arrests have been made”.

The local Catholic Curate also denounced the outrage strongly at Mass.

1943

Seaside licensing laws

In addition to providing both open-air and indoor amusements for Salthill during the past twelve months, and securing a good deal of first-class publicity for the place, the Salthill Citizens’ Organisation has asked other Irish seaside resorts to cooperate in obtaining an amendment of the licensing laws.

This was revealed at the annual meeting of the organisation, which drew a large attendance to the Salthill Pavilion on Friday night. It was also stated that a sub-committee had acquired a lease of the Pavilion for twelve months.

To secure some relief from the provision of the Licensing Laws, the Committee sponsored an application for an exemption order, on behalf of the licensing trade generally.

A resolution was to be sent to the organising bodies in other seaside reports asking for their cooperation in obtaining the amendment of the Licensing Laws “which, as at present constituted, are most unfair to seaside resorts and visitors”.

Salthill school

The need for a school at Salthill was stressed at the meeting of the Salthill Citizens’ Organisation. It was pointed out that at present, little children in the district had to travel a long way to school and, because of the restricted ’bus service, were not always able to get a seat on a ’bus on wet days.

Oat crop rumour

Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney stated in the Dáil on Thursday that a new disease had appeared in the oat crop in the West. He asked for official views on the matter. Mr. B. O’Sullivan, Secretary of the County Galway Committee of Agriculture, interviews by a Connacht Tribune representative on the following day, stated that he had heard nothing about a new disease in the oat crop in the West, and added that there were already plenty of old ones.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

3 days 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.

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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.

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.

Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

1 week 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.

Galway in Days Gone By

Galway In Days Gone By

Published

2 weeks ago

February 11, 2021

Stephen Corrigan

A dog joins in the action during and AIB League game between Galwegians and Bective Rangers at Crowley Park in 1998. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.

1921

Money drying up

In calling the quarterly meeting of the Galway County Council for Wednesday next, February 16, the secretary makes the grave announcement that “if the rate is not struck it is unlikely that any further payments can be made to boards of guardians, district councils, asylum, or labourers – in other words, the machinery of local government in County Galway will have completely broken down”.

The statutory meetings of the proposals committee and council called for Wednesday, the 2nd inst., fell through for want of a quorum, this being the third occasion within two months in which the premier body of the county failed to hold a regularly-constituted meeting.

It is but fair to point out, however, that upon the last occasion, a bare quorum would have been available but for the arrest of the members on their way to the council chamber.

On the day following the last abortive attempts to hold a meeting recently, the secretary issued a letter in which he stated that he was requested by seven members who had attended “to impress upon all members whose services are still available” the necessity for attendance, “even at great inconvenience”.

The Council on Wednesday next will find itself faced with a heavy responsibility, but it is a responsibility that grows heavier for every day that those charged with it refuse to face.

House burning

On Sunday morning the dwelling-house of Mr. Mtn. Coyne, farmer, Kiltrogue, Claregalway, was burned to the ground.

Miss Coyne (sister of the owner), a servant boy, and three children of Mrs. Frank Hardiman, Galway (another sister), were the only occupants of the dwelling at the time.

They were suddenly awakened at about 1.30 a.m. by a loud knocking at the door. When the door was opened a party of men rushed in and ordered them out, adding that they were about to burn the house.

Partially dressed, the little household left, and the place was immediately set on fire. The occupants are since being sheltered by neighbours.

On the same night the dwelling-house of Mr. W. Mulroyan, Killtulla, Castlegar; the haggards of Thomas Fallon, Two-Mile-Ditch, Castlegar, and Luke Ryan, Castlegar, were also destroyed.

The burnings are variously stated to be a sequel to the Kilroe ambush and to the raiding of the Galway-Tuam mail car.

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.