Galway In Days Gone By

For the I.R.A.

The houses of MI. Collins, P. Reilly and P. Flaherty in Clonboo district, were entered by two armed and disguised men. The owners were told the surrender their arms, the raiders stating that they required them for the Irish Republican Army.

The raiders took away a shot gun out of each of the houses visited and fired shots on leaving. So terrified were the inmates to the house of Collins at the attitude of the raiders that his daughter, who had been in delicate health for some time, fainted, and did not regain consciousness for a considerable time.

The houses raided are in a very lonely part of the country, and a considerable distance from the public road. Active enquiries are being made by the police, but up to the present, no arrests have been made.

Daring sacrilege

The discovery was made on Saturday evening that the regimental colours of the Connaught Rangers had been stolen from the little Catholic Church attached to the depot at Renmore, Galway. Two flags, with their poles, were removed either on Thursday or Friday night. One belonged to the second Battalion and the other to the fourth (the old Boyle Militia), and they were consecrated by the Catholic Chaplain.

The police have made diligent investigations but have failed to find any clues. It is supposed that the perpetrators of the daring outrage removed the colours by gaining entry to the Church with a skeleton key.

1943

Turf dump

The turf dump in Eyre Square is going at last! It was placed there against the wishes of the citizens and the advice of the Mayor; it has been an eyesore since the Autumn of 1941; it caused a loss of some hundreds of pounds to the Corporation last year because the Square could not be let for amusements as usual during Race Week – and it has not been of the slightest benefit to the people of Galway.

Now, leaving some 800 tons of useless mould behind, the huge mass is being loaded at the adjacent stations en route to Dublin, having been sold by the County authorities to Irish Fuel importers at a figure which had not been mentioned, but which we are assured will safeguard the County Council against loss.

The first consignment was taken from the Square to the Galway railway station for transport to Dublin. The removal of the turf will proceed slowly – the work will extend over six weeks – for the reason that while the weather has brought about an improvement in the position with regard to supplies for Galway City, it is felt that some turf should remain on the Square a little longer as a safeguard against any further deterioration of the position.

Temperance drinks

Five local publicans were charged at Galway Court on Thursday before District Justice Mac Giollarnaith, with selling grape fruit crush and orange fruit crush which, on analysis, was found to be deficient in certain essentials. One defendant was also charged with selling custard powder which was found to contain mites.

In one case, Garda Lynch said the analyst’s certificate stated that it was an imitation of a well-known grape fruit crush which was no longer obtainable. The certificate, he said, stated that there was no genuine grape fruit in the sample.

Mrs Bridget Whelan, Woodquay, was charged with selling “Regent Creamy Custard” powder, which on analysis, was found to be contaminated with mites.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.