Galway In Days Gone By

Counting heads

Much interest will centre in the Irish census returns which will be taken, North and South, in April of next year. it will then be fifteen years since the last census was taken in 1911, and it is estimated by the Registrar-General that the Irish population has increased by over 20,000 since then.

That would be a singularly small increase in a population of four and a half millions. It would certainly not allow for the normal and natural expansion. During the war years, and for a great period since, the so-called surplus population was practically locked up in the country; there was little or no emigration from the South or West.

To-day, something like fifty people leave Galway district every week for America – that is to say, two hundred people a month emigrate from Galway railway station alone.

The population of Co. Galway when the census was taken in 1911 was 182,224.

1950

The price of eggs

The West Galway Comhairle Dáil Cheanntair will ask the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the Manion House next Tuesday to take a big decision. It will ask that “the Government be condemned for its failure to maintain producer prices for eggs and at the level prevailing under the Fianna Fáil administration”.

West Galway, unfortunately, has never been regarded as a leader in egg and poultry production and I notice that no other unit of the Fianna Fáil administration – the term by which the former Government is referred to – is in no position to throw eggs at the present Government.

Mr. Dillion, Minister for Agriculture, has been making a great effort to induce West Galway to become much more poultry-minded and egg-minded too. He has not spared himself in his endeavour to get the best possible price for eggs and poultry from Britain and, everything taken into consideration, has done reasonably well.

Pictured: Deputy Michael D Higgins and Alderman Catherine Connolly taking part in the Galway Alliance Against War march through Galway city centre on February 22, 2003, calling on the United States to call off its attack on Iraq.