February 24, 2011

1911

Town lightingThe Chairman of Loughrea Town Commissioners asked if they were going to make a further effort regarding the lighting of the town.Mr. Sweeney: Are we financially fit to go on with the proposed lighting scheme? It would be very agreeable if it were possible, but our attempts so far have been futile.

The Chairman said the lighting of the Cathedral, Mercy Convent, and Abbey, militated against the late efforts that were made. He had it as the opinion of an engineer that the town might be lighted for what those three establishments cost.

Mr. Sweeney said it was a question of money and that was the reason they failed in every attempt to give a guarantee.

Mr. Keane said he understood there was a committee appointed to look into the matter some time ago, and why not pursue inquiries.The Chairman said he did not see why they could not afford to have their town lighted with electricity as well as many of the smaller towns in the west of Ireland. He was speaking to the engineer who put up the light in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Mayo, and he said the only thing that could be done in the case of Loughrea was to employ an engineer themselves to make out an estimate and get it done in the cheapest possible way.

1936

Pay riseA deputation representing the county dispensary medical officers appeared before the meeting to request the support of the Comhairle Ceanntair in their demand for an increase of salary. After a lengthy discussion, the meeting decided to give a mandate to the chairman and Mr O’Regan, members of the dispensaries’ committee, to support the application when it came up before the committee, provided the demand was a reasonable one.

Clifden fireA good deal of excitement was caused in Clifden by an outbreak of fire which occurred in the premises owned by Mr. James Lee, merchant, late on Friday night. Mr. Paul Bartley, who lives opposite the scene of the outbreak, was the first to give the alarm. It appears that at about midnight, when he was going to bed, his attention was attracted by the blaze and smoke which were issuing from the second storey window in the Lee premises.

Mr. Bartley at once raised the alarm. The Gardaí were sent for and a banging on doors soon brought the assistance of many neighbours. All the fire extinguishers in the town, amounting to about ten or twelve, were put into operation. Then a double chain of buckets was formed to the river, about a hundred yards away.

The conflagration was brought under control in about an hour under the supervision of An Ceannphort Tomas de Burca, G.S., Sergt. Sarsfield, G.S. and the Gardaí from the Clifden station. Indeed all those who helped deserve the greatest praise. Nobody spared any effort, and had it not been for the many willing hands, a great deal of very serious damage might well have resulted. Damage done is said to amount to several hundred pounds.

Furniture stolenGrattan House, Lower Salthill, was illegally entered over the weekend and a quantity of furniture stolen. The house is the property of Mr. Don Meldon-Walsh, Taylor’s Hill, Galway, and has been unoccupied for over a year. A sale of furniture was to have been held there in the near future.

At a special court in Eglinton Garda Barracks, before Mr P. Holland P.C., two men were charged with house breaking and entering and with theft of furniture. Sergt. P. Hanlon gave evidence of arrest, and the accused were remanded in custody to Galway District Court on Thursday. The Garda are energetically pursuing inquiries in this case and further developments are expected.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.