Galway In Days Gone By

Market Square in Tuam in the late 19th Century. The photo was possibly taken in the 1890s. Three ladies in shawls typical of the time are seated at the base of the High Cross of Tuam while three children play beside them. Behind, a barefoot boy stands on the footpath outside James J Begley's general store. To the right of that is the drapery of M Nolan. The 12th Century High Cross of Tuam was moved from this location to St Mary's Cathedral in 1992.

placeholder image — Market Square in Tuam in the late 19th Century. The photo was possibly taken in the 1890s. Three ladies in shawls typical of the time are seated at the base of the High Cross of Tuam while three children play beside them. Behind, a barefoot boy stands on the footpath outside James J Begley's general store. To the right of that is the drapery of M Nolan. The 12th Century High Cross of Tuam was moved from this location to St Mary's Cathedral in 1992.

1916

Warning over Confession

As a priest I feel bound to warn our people against the danger of revealing anything whatsoever, either under blandishment or threat, to armed men concerning the most sacred subject of Confession.

Unfortunately, it has fallen to my lot to inform the people of the fact that in this Catholic parish of Kinvara, questions of a most improper character were recently put to a parishioner – a decent but simple country boy – by one of two armed men concerning the boy’s Confession.

Catholics of Kinvara, even if there are vile tongues amongst you, which blab when they should not, let those of you at any rate who still remain faithful to birth and fatherland guard, even with your lives, the sanctity of Confession against all the agents of stupidity in this land.

Signed J.W. O’Meehan

Galway’s indisputable claim

Galway has been described as the Micawber amongst Irish cities. That the implication is unjust has been proved by the manner in which the citizens supported the project to establish in the western capital a trans-Atlantic port.

The responsibility for the failure to carry the scheme certainly does not lie at the door of Galway. With a patriotism and energy that are worthy of all praise, the citizens have now set themselves the task of obtaining a National Shell Factory, and the principal merchants have given an undertaking that if such a factory is established by the Government, it will be taken over and converted to the arts of peace when the war cloud has dissolved.

1941

Torpedoed crew

The twenty-one members of the crew of the torpedoed Glasgow vessel who were landed at Galway Docks on June 27, have made wonderful progress in the three Galway hospitals to which they were removed immediately on arrival.

The skipper of the torpedoed vessel, Captain J. Kerr, sat up in his bed in St. Bride’s Private Nursing Home on Monday evening to give a Tribune reporter a message for all those who had shown him and his crew kindness since their arrival here.

Capt. Kerr said he hoped he and the majority of his men would be fit to travel at the beginning of next week. A few of the men, he said, were still feeling the effects of the exposure, and would not be able to travel to England until the following week.

Town Hall postponed

Tuam Town Commissioners received a bill for £71 15s. from the architects as fees for their services in drawing up plans in connection with the proposed building of a new Town Hall. It was ordered that the architects be notified that the proposed building had been postponed until after the war.

Tuam property sales

The shop and premises at the Square, Tuam, the property of the late Mrs Anne Hosty, have been sold for £2,230, and the offices and premises at Bishop-street, the property of Mr. Patrick M. Hosty, solicitor, for £1,025.

Unhygienic milk

That there was a need for keener supervision and tightening up of the regulations governing the distribution of milk in Ballinasloe urban district was stated in a report by the Medical officer at Ballinasloe Urban Council. Complaints were made about dust and dirty carts.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.