Galway In Days Gone By
1921
British Empire’s decay
History records the rise and fall of many empires. When nations reach the zenith of their power, they begin to decay, and often “great is the fall there of.”
That the British Empire is on the down grade is becoming more apparent every day. There are many cases contributing to this decline, but perhaps England’s treatment of the sister island is one of the chief.
That great soldier-statesman, General Smutts, predicted that unless justice was meted out to Ireland, the Empire would suffer. When he made that prediction, the Coalition Government had not sent over the “Black and Tans” to keep order in Ireland, nor had their barbarous reprisals shocked humanity.
What would he say now if he expressed his views on England’s treatment of the sister isle? He would say what the Press of every nation is saying: she is destroying her moral prestige in the eyes of the world. Other nations today incline to look upon her as the Irish nation has always looked upon her.
As Lloyd George is responsible for the “bad peace” and the present muddle in Europe, he is responsible more than any living man for the work of disintegration going on in the Empire.
Frightfulness in the face of revolt against a civil population, vicarious punishment of innocent for guilty is the measure of his statesmanship.
Councillors’ arrest
Eight members of the Galway County Council, who travelled to Galway on Wednesday to attend a special meeting to discuss finances and consult with the rate-collectors, were arrested on their way to the courthouse where the meeting was to have been held at twelve o’clock.
The meeting was summoned by the vice-chairman, Miss Alice Cashel.
As Miss Cashel was on her way to the meeting she was arrested by plain clothes policemen between the post office and Moon’s Corner, and conveyed to Eglinton police station.
She had arrived in town on the previous evening to attend the meeting. She was searched by two lady searchers, and removed to Renmore.
Martin Forde, P. C. Curley, John Cloherty, Martin Finnerty, Michael Finnegan, Michael Keaveney and Michael Hawthorne, other members of the county council, were also arrested by plain clothes policemen outside the courthouse and taken to Eglinton-st.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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