Galway In Days Gone By
1918
Fiercest gale
Following the wettest month for forty years, came during last week-end the fiercest gale within living memory. On Saturday night the wind blew with hurricane force to the accompaniment of fierce showers of hail and rain.
The aerodrome at Oranmore suffered severely. The groundsmen under canvas had a particularly bad night of it, but the pilots and observers were safely housed in the old Militia shed. The canteen and tents were blown down and the soldiers had to seek quarters where they could shelter. The storm also played havoc with the tents along the railway line, which, we understand, are to be replaced by huts at an early date.
Pedestrianism along the promenade at Salthill was conducted with difficulty, as the wind blew violently through the open channel of the Bay. Cycling against it was a virtual impossibility.
Family record in war
Sergt. Tom Macken, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, of Eyre-st., Galway, who recently volunteered from Malta for service on the western front, was wounded on Sept. 20. His brother, Walter, was killed in the battle of the Somme last year. Another brother, John, is at present in hospital suffering from wounds.
Coachbuilders’ strike
Twenty coachbuilders employed at Messrs Hughes’, Fahy’s, & Dowler’s works struck work on Monday for higher wages and shorter hours. The men state they have been working from 7a.m. till 7p.m., and that the minimum wage is 34s. per week. They demand an increase of 10s and a reduction of their working hours, with closing at 2p.m. instead of 3p.m. on Saturdays. Two of the strikers employed at Messrs Dowler’s works resumed on Thursday.
1943
Country classics
It is rather extraordinary but, nevertheless true, that there is no demand for the classics among readers in Galway City, but the people from the rural areas continually ask for them and seem never to have enough of them. We have had cases where families living in the country have taken the same classics out year after year. This statement was made to our representative by Mr. S.J. Maguire, Co. Librarian.
Country people also are very interested in good solid Anglo-Irish literature, said the Co. Librarian, such as books by Canon Sheehan, James Murphy, etc., but they also indulge in a little light reading. They are as fond of a good detective novel or a wild west yarn as anybody.
During the last three years, the demand for books dealing with the war is phenomenal and at least three out of four readers that utilise the County Galway Library ask for the latest books on war.
Our representative was interested to learn that the youth of 1943 – both boys and girls – look for books dealing with the war.
The boys are all the time asking for books which illustrate the latest type of ’planes and tanks and are very anxious to read stories written in the lighter vein where the central figure is a pilot of a ’plane or the commander of the tank. Stories about the sea have not lost their fascination and are in constant demand.
“Girls’ school stories and boys’ adventure stories are always in demand,” said Mr. Maguire, “but only a very limited quantity of them is coming on the market now and they are practically unobtainable. However, we have a very good stock of them in the Galway library and we are issuing those gradually.”
The greatest demand of all is for good detective novels and wild west yarns. Mr. Maguire pointed out that this demand was constant because it came from all classes. The professional man as well as the working man is very fond of a good detective story as well as a wild west story.
The Librarian added that they now had in the library a stock of books that would last for the next eighteen months.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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