The wonders of Christmas past in Galway

BY WILLIAM HENRY

In 1899, weather conditions were appalling during the Christmas season. Galway was struck by a mixture of frost, snow, rain and storms that had not been witnessed within living memory. This was accompanied by an outbreak of a highly contagious influenza which made matters worse and funerals became an everyday occurrence.

However, people overcome this time of hardship and the spirit of Christmas prevailed. The city shops were certainly well worth a visit if local newspapers were anything to go by. They were advertising new style Christmas cards, food items and an array of exciting gifts for the occasion, proving that commercialisation was alive and well all those years ago.

In most cases, people could check out the prices when compiling their Christmas shopping list before leaving the house: ‘Fancy Christmas Cakes’ would set you back 2½d (pence) – ‘Honeycomb Quilts’ to keep warm during long winter nights cost 2s.–6d, and you could add a pillow for 4d. The finest quality ham was 7½d per 1 lb. – Lipton’s Tea was 1s per ¼ lb. and the price included a finely decorated tea canister –

Potatoes were 4d per stone – Michael Heaney of Upper Abbeygate Street was offering his customers good value with mutton 3d per lb. and beef 6d per lb. With the exception of Millers of Mary Street, there was no mention of a goose or turkey in most of the city butcher shops.

One needed to attend the Christmas Market around St Nicholas’ Church to barter for a live goose, turkey or duck. Bargains from Francis McNamara in the Colonial Buildings included festive season jams, fresh cream at 6d a jar, fresh sausages; and, the finest creamery butter was on offer every day in the run up to Christmas. Miss Mulligan of William Street was supplying her ‘Celebrated Cakes’ and the flavours included: Plain, Caraway Seed, Sponge, Cherry, Victoria, Neapolitan, Madeira and Prince of Wales. For those who could afford the luxury of a Christmas family photograph, Mr Simmons, the noted photographer of Williamsgate Street was there to provide this service.

Christmas Day entertainment was to relax at home, listening to a new £2 Gramophone. This state-of-the-art technology was advertised as the ‘wonder of the age’ and it was capable of imitating the sound of celebrated performers; choirs and band music, ‘with all the effects and methods of the originals’. This was purchased from Mr McCullagh on Williamsgate Street.

This is a shortened preview version of this article. For more, see this week's Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.