January 13, 2010

Shooting outrage

On Saturday night last, our correspondent reports, a daring outrage took place close to Newcastle (Athenry), where the house of Mrs Morris was fired into by a party of armed men. Altogether seven or eight shots were fired into the door and windows, completely wrecking the latter and doing some considerable damage inside. Some of the family had narrow  escapes, as all were in the dwelling at the time.

Mrs. Morris is a very popular and hard-working woman, having no dispute with any of her neighbours and much sympathy is expressed for her owing to the outrage.

I learned that the cause was due to the fact the Mr. J. Donohoe, of Cappamoyle, gave a dance some nights ago, and that some of Mrs. Morris’s family went to the dance. Mr. Donohoe has been vigorously boycotted since the eviction of Mrs. Donohoe, widow of Mr. John Donohoe’s son.

It seems strange (our correspondent adds) that in a district where so many extra police are stationed such an outrage could be carried out with impunity. Twelve or fourteen police are in one of the evicted houses close to the scene of the outrage, and a number of “extras” are also engaged in minding the locality from Athenry.

No trace of the perpetrators can be ascertained, although the District Inspector and a number of police are actively investigating the matter.

It is understood that fourteen additional police are to be stationed in the  Newcastle district as a result of this  outrage.

Acting the scampAt Ballinasloe Petty Sessions, two charges were proferred against J. Flannery for being drunk on the public street, and for refusing the leave the premises of Mr. Peter Naughton when requested to do so by complainant and Sergeant Hynes.

The Acting Sergeant said it was a fair day, and on going towards the defendant to arrest him, he moved into Naughton’s public house. He (complainant) drew the publican’s attention to defendant’s condition, and the publican requested him to remove Flannery.

Flannery denied being drunk, or that the publican ever asked the Acting Sergeant to remove him.

Constable Reilly, who was with the Acting Sergeant, described Flannery as acting the scamp and the blackguard, and corroborated the Sergeant’s story.

The Bench, by a majority, fined defendant 5s. and costs.

1935

Road maintenance

At the annual roads meeting of Galway County Council, the Council decided to allow £12,000 for new works in the county for the coming year. The estimate of the county surveyor, Mr. M.J. Kennedy, for repairs to main roads in the western division was reduced by 25 per cent, from £47,240 to £38,805.

The estimate of Mr. G. Lee, county surveyor, for repairs to main roads in the eastern division was reduced from £47,986 to £33,000.

The secretary said the cost of road maintenance in the county was increasing rapidly from year to year. Of course, by expending more money, they were helping to increase employment and reduce charges for home assistance.

Land callAt a meeting of the Executive of the County Galway Old I.R.A. in the Town Hall, Galway, on Saturday, Mr. Mattie Nilan presiding, a resolution was passed calling on the Government “to acquire farms at an economic price and to distribute them to the people as the patience of the farmers’ sons is sorely tried. The land is for feeding our increasing population and not for feeding bullocks for John Bull.”

A report submitted at the meeting stated that the service of prominent Old I.R.A. clerks who are presently employed in the Galway Employment Exchange offices are liable to be dispensed with in order to make room for the youth who got through examinations last November.

The Executive declared they were prepared to stand behind their comrades in their efforts to hold the bread to which they were entitled by reason of their national record and education.

Clifden HospitalAt the meeting of the County Galway Hospital and Dispensaries’ Committee on Wednesday, Mr. E. Corbett, presiding, the secretary (Mr. Gallagher) reported that the Board of Health had transferred the business of the new Clifden District Hospital to the Hospital committee to make arrangements for the equipment of the hospital and the appointment of a staff.

It was certainly time that something was done with the hospital as it was a long time vacant. The hospital had cost £14,000, all of which was defrayed by the Hospitals Trust Fun. The doctor was the only member of the staff appointed. 

For more, read page 30 of this week's Connacht Tribune.