1925

Use your vote

The man or woman who has a vote and who refuses or neglects to exercise it for the common good on Tuesday next is a coward or a sluggard, or both, and is quite unworthy to be a citizen of a free community.

Votes are a God-given right and a sacred trust. Rights such as this are not given to remain unused, trusts are not awarded to be betrayed. The suggestion has been put forward that in this country, those who, without adequate reason, do not exercise the vote should be disenfranchised by law.

Next week the voters of Ireland will be on trial and it is the duty of every single citizen and voter to prove that we are worthy to govern ourselves in local as well as national affairs.

The people want lower rates, more efficient services, cheaper houses, better roads, sanitation in our towns, the development of every advantage we possess, a lower cost of living and increased employment. They want less posturing and playing to the gallery at our public boards, and they want the economic structure rebuilt on solid foundations. Men who had no flair for public affairs, no knowledge of the conduct of business, who never had experience of controlling even an office boy, have been passing political resolutions dealing with mountains of Greenland and have been turning our public business into a passing show.

The position today is too serious for anymore farce comedy. If the voters want the farce comedy ended, they will go to the polling booths on Tuesday and vote according to their conscience and to the best of their intelligence.

1950

Three sons as priests

Among the students raised to the priesthood at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, on Sunday by the Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, Most Rev. Dr. McQuaid, was Rev. Thomas Kennedy of Loughrea, youngest son of Mrs. Winifred Kennedy and the late James Kennedy of Main Street. He is the third member of the family to become a priest, the others being Rev. Joseph Kennedy, now on the Chinese Missions, and Rev. Oliver Kennedy.

Like his brothers, the young priest was educated at St. Joseph’s College, Garbally Park, before entering Maynooth.

Pictured: Readings and relaxing at the front of the Nora Barnacle house, Ireland’s smallest museum, in Bowling Green during the annual Bloomsday celebrations on June 16, 1994.