Galway In Days Gone By
1922
The demon drink
The most contemptible of all types of mankind is he who partakes of intoxicating drink throughout the entire day and far into the night. He is never drunk, nor is he ever sober. He is appropriately called a “soaker”.
At the meeting of the Ard-Fheis, Mr. de Valera made a statement which, to those who do not understand the full significance, may not have appeared very germane to the issue. But we are given to understand that his declaration that he was “sorry the drink evil was coming again to the country” was timely, and ought to be followed up with strong action by those upon whom the discipline and good conduct of the Irish people, and the army, which is their servant, depends.
Mr de Valera said he believed he was expressing the united view of every member of the Dáil and of the Officer Board of Sinn Féin when he said that he believed Ireland was really in danger the time the drink evil came back. They wanted the support of the organisation to end that evil, and generally, restore order.
We are informed by clergymen who know rural County Galway and the habits of the people intimately that the young men of to-day do not drink to intoxication, but they have acquired more dangerous habits in certain areas: they “soak” drink for long periods at a time, and their addled minds are, therefore, open to any suggestion of mischief or evil, whilst their power to do honest work such as strong clean men glory in is dulled.
Inevitably, demoralisation follows. We trust that this tale of degeneracy is exaggerated, but we very much fear that it is too true. The fact that Mr. de Valera should make public reference to it at the Ard-Fheis is significant.
“Half the mischief,” a well-known clergyman informs us, “is hatched out at cross-roads public houses by men who spend hours there when they might be doing honest work at home.”
It is well that the country should be aroused immediately to this most insidious of all dangers, for if alcoholic demoralisation should spread, then of a surety the road to utter demoralisation and ruin would be a speedy one to travel, and all the best traditions of our Irish manhood would soon be undermined.
Although we do not, and never have, advocated total abstinence against temperance, better a thousand times that we should lose altogether the liberty to touch intoxicants than that our young men, and, alas, also some of our women, should be reduced to the degrading level of “soakers”.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.