Galway In Days Gone By

Shots exchanged

A telegram from our North Galway representative yesterday stated: –

A report reached Tuam last night that Sergeant Beglan and Constable McGuire, of Castlegrove temporary police station, were fired at when on patrol duty at about eight p.m., and returned the fire.

Some men with revolvers appeared on top of a ditch and called on the police to halt. Shots were discharged. The police returned the fire, and after a short exchanged, the attacking party withdrew.

The fire on either side does not appear to have taken any affect.

Our reporter telegraphed later: –

It is stated that the police were fired at near Castlegrove as they were going to a shop for provisions. They were in the act of crossing a stile when the shots went off.

Rifle cartridges were subsequently found at the site of the ambush. One of the police stood and had a narrow escape, whilst the other threw himself on the ground.

Seeking compensation

Messrs. Grossman and Co., Belfast, applied for £40 compensation for injury to a motor car at Loughrea on October 27, 1920. – Francis Rock, Belfast applied for £10 compensation for injury to an overcoat on the same occasion.

Dr. Comyn, who appeared for the applicant, said this was a most peculiar case. This gentleman, Mr. Francis Rock, was a commercial traveller who lived in Belfast. He travelled for jewellery for the other applicant, Messrs. Grossman and Co.

On the evening of October 27, this gentleman was in Loughrea in the ordinary course of his duty for Messrs. Grossman and Co., who supplied him with a motor for the purpose of carrying on his business. He had what was known as a hooded Ford car for carrying his wares behind, and on the date in question he left the Railway Hotel at Loughrea and proceeded up the Main-st. in the direction of the West Bridge.

There was a party of uniformed policemen – none of them local police – travelling in two lorries some distance in front of Mr. Rock’s car. The police pulled up near the West Bridge and started firing down the main street. Mr. Rock, seeing them fire down the street, tried to turn his car around quickly when a bullet passed through his overcoat.

There were several bullets put into the hood of the motor, rendering it quite useless, and a new hood would now be required.

“It was only fair to state,” Dr. Comyn proceeded, “that there would be a good deal more damage done that evening were it not for the plucky action of the District-inspector Keohane and the Loughrea police who, at the risk of their own lives, walked up against the firing party and ordered them out of the town – for which the people of Loughrea were extremely grateful.”

His Honour, having heard the evidence of the applicant, awarded £20 compensation, adding that this was a case in which he was judicially satisfied that the damage was not caused by civilians, and he would accordingly bring the mater under the notice of the Crown authorities.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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