Galway In Time Gone By - A browse through the archives of the Connacht Tribune

Equal rights

At the Urban Council meeting, the Secretary read a list of the names of the men who assisted in extinguishing the Claddagh fire, and it was ordered that the men be paid 2s. each. Mr. W. O’Halloran said that Mrs. O’Flaherty, of Fairhill, did as much work as any of the men. It was decided to give her 2s. 6d. in recognition of her service.

Take the pledge

At the Galway Petty Sessions, Martin McDonagh was summoned for being guilty of disorderly conduct in New Dock Street, on the 9th inst. Constable Lynch stated the defendant was jostling people off the footpath at the Custom House, and was using very bad language.

The Chairman said there was no excuse for such improper conduct. They would, however, adjourn the case to the next Sessions, for the production of a pledge.

A Government appointment

There were two charges of drunkenness and disorderly conduct against Mary Cotter. Defendant stated she was stopping with a woman named Winnie Cooke, who sometime previously forged cheques belonging to defendant (laughter).

Chairman: We cannot go into that.

Defendant: Then she threw me outside the door, and took a tongs to beat me with.

Constable Keane: She is a bad case when she takes a drink.

Defendant: When I take a drop of drink, I shout loud, that’s all (laughter).

Chairman: You will have to go to jail for a month on the first charge, and pay a fine of 40s, or a month in the second case. As far as I can see, a woman like you would keep a battalion of police going (laughter).

Defendant: Nothing like having a Government appointment (laughter). Prisoner was then taken into custody.

1939

Papal tributes

“Today, my dear brethren, throughout the whole world, wherever Catholic people and priests are gathered in church or chapel, from the snowbound coasts of Alaska to the sun-drenched plains of Africa or Australia, they are united in a common thought; they mourn the passing of a common Father. Pius the eleventh is dead: the eleventh of that name, but the 261st Pope.”

These words were spoken by his lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Browne, Bishop of Galway, during the course of a sermon at eight o’clock Mass in the Cathedral, Galway, on Sunday.

His lordship also presided at the Requiem Mass on Wednesday for the repose of the soul of the late Pope Pius XI, and which was attended by clergy from many parts of the united dioceses of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, and the people of Galway city.

Pupils of all the city schools, with their teachers; members of the staff of U.C.G.; members of the Garda and army forces, and representatives of the various public bodies also attended.

Every seat in the church was occupied and the crowd overflowed on to the street outside. The church was draped in black.

Islanders hit

The inhabitants of Inishbofin were short of flour for four days last week and were forced to eat potatoes instead. The stormy weather of the past fortnight cut off supplies from the mainland and a boat which had gone to Westport for a cargo of flour was unable to return to the island. On Monday, however, the mail boat ran the gauntlet to Cleggan and brought back a small supply of flour.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.