Enda Cunningham
Home rule meeting
An historic demonstration in pursuance of the Home Rule campaign was held at Glenamaddy, Galway on Sunday. The attendance was very large, and the enthusiasm displayed was of a very impressive character, and disposed effectively the charges of apathy made against the Irish people and their demand for self-government.
As in other parts of Ireland where similar meetings have been held, there was nothing to indicate a weakness in the popular demand for the restoration of an Irish Parliament, but rather striking evidence of a stronger determination that ever to continue the fight for freedom till it is satisfactorily concluded.
The speeches made were of a very instructive and eloquent description, the salient points of the first principles of the national policy being dealt with in explicit terms.
Messrs. Hazleton and O'Malley, M.P.s, in their addresses, dealt with the Ulster bogey, and at the close of their remarks, no fears remained amongst their large audience on the prospects of "civil war" or the march of the Ulster "die-hards" if Home Rule becomes the law of the land.
Irish talkies
Dr. Proinnsias O'Sullivan, M.A., Divisional Inspector of Schools, Galway suggested that all cinemas should be obliged to give at least ten minutes running commentary in Irish on a question of the day if the could not give an Irish talkie film.
All newspapers circulating in Ireland should be obliged to give a tenth of their matter in the Irish language. All prayers and sermons at the children's Mass should be in the Irish language.
There should be playing fields or recreation parks for children in every town conducted by competent Irish speakers trained in the matter of promoting games suitable for children, and Irish should be the language of those playing fields or recreation parks.
All games under G.A.A. auspices five years from now should be conducted in the Irish language. A beginning should at once be made with juvenile and junior teams from primary schools.
All matters concerning local government in Irish-speaking district should be conducted through the medium of Irish.
The £2 Irish scheme should be extended so as to give, say, £1 per pupil in the purely Irish-speaking districts and 10s in the English-speaking areas, the teacher, manager and inspector to see that the conditions were fulfilled – namely, that the child was competent in the Irish language, spoke it at school, going to and coming from school and in the home. Irish dances should be compulsory in all schools.
Whitsuntide holidays
Every available craft, from the unpretentious rowing-boat to the luxury steam launch, was pressed into service on Lough Corrib on Sunday to cater for the Whitsuntide holiday-makers.
The weather was by no means ideal for fishing, but Corrib has other attractions. The myriad of little islands which dot its expansive waters provide ideal picnic retreats "away from the madding crowd".
These were availed of to the fullest extent during the Whit weekend, the island of Inchagoill, with its beautiful woodlands, ancient remains, and old-world atmosphere proved the greatest attraction. The lonely keeper of the island, old genial Thomas Nevin, had a busy day receiving the visitors at the pier.
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Crowds flocked to the unveiling of a monument on June 15, 1959, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the landing of Alcock and Brown at Derrygimlagh Bog.
British Empire's decay
History records the rise and fall of many empires. When nations reach the zenith of their power, they begin to decay, and often "great is the fall there of."
That the British Empire is on the down grade is becoming more apparent every day. There are many cases contributing to this decline, but perhaps England's treatment of the sister island is one of the chief.
That great soldier-statesman, General Smutts, predicted that unless justice was meted out to Ireland, the Empire would suffer. When he made that prediction, the Coalition Government had not sent over the "Black and Tans" to keep order in Ireland, nor had their barbarous reprisals shocked humanity.
What would he say now if he expressed his views on England's treatment of the sister isle? He would say what the Press of every nation is saying: she is destroying her moral prestige in the eyes of the world. Other nations today incline to look upon her as the Irish nation has always looked upon her.
As Lloyd George is responsible for the "bad peace" and the present muddle in Europe, he is responsible more than any living man for the work of disintegration going on in the Empire.
Frightfulness in the face of revolt against a civil population, vicarious punishment of innocent for guilty is the measure of his statesmanship.
Councillors' arrest
Eight members of the Galway County Council, who travelled to Galway on Wednesday to attend a special meeting to discuss finances and consult with the rate-collectors, were arrested on their way to the courthouse where the meeting was to have been held at twelve o'clock.
The meeting was summoned by the vice-chairman, Miss Alice Cashel.
As Miss Cashel was on her way to the meeting she was arrested by plain clothes policemen between the post office and Moon's Corner, and conveyed to Eglinton police station.
She had arrived in town on the previous evening to attend the meeting. She was searched by two lady searchers, and removed to Renmore.
Martin Forde, P. C. Curley, John Cloherty, Martin Finnerty, Michael Finnegan, Michael Keaveney and Michael Hawthorne, other members of the county council, were also arrested by plain clothes policemen outside the courthouse and taken to Eglinton-st.
Children play on the frozen flood water between Grattan Road and Beach Court on January 1, 1979. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Shots exchanged
A telegram from our North Galway representative yesterday stated: –
A report reached Tuam last night that Sergeant Beglan and Constable McGuire, of Castlegrove temporary police station, were fired at when on patrol duty at about eight p.m., and returned the fire.
Some men with revolvers appeared on top of a ditch and called on the police to halt. Shots were discharged. The police returned the fire, and after a short exchanged, the attacking party withdrew.
The fire on either side does not appear to have taken any affect.
Our reporter telegraphed later: –
It is stated that the police were fired at near Castlegrove as they were going to a shop for provisions. They were in the act of crossing a stile when the shots went off.
Rifle cartridges were subsequently found at the site of the ambush. One of the police stood and had a narrow escape, whilst the other threw himself on the ground.
Seeking compensation
Messrs. Grossman and Co., Belfast, applied for £40 compensation for injury to a motor car at Loughrea on October 27, 1920. – Francis Rock, Belfast applied for £10 compensation for injury to an overcoat on the same occasion.
Dr. Comyn, who appeared for the applicant, said this was a most peculiar case. This gentleman, Mr. Francis Rock, was a commercial traveller who lived in Belfast. He travelled for jewellery for the other applicant, Messrs. Grossman and Co.
On the evening of October 27, this gentleman was in Loughrea in the ordinary course of his duty for Messrs. Grossman and Co., who supplied him with a motor for the purpose of carrying on his business. He had what was known as a hooded Ford car for carrying his wares behind, and on the date in question he left the Railway Hotel at Loughrea and proceeded up the Main-st. in the direction of the West Bridge.
There was a party of uniformed policemen – none of them local police – travelling in two lorries some distance in front of Mr. Rock's car. The police pulled up near the West Bridge and started firing down the main street. Mr. Rock, seeing them fire down the street, tried to turn his car around quickly when a bullet passed through his overcoat.
There were several bullets put into the hood of the motor, rendering it quite useless, and a new hood would now be required.
"It was only fair to state," Dr. Comyn proceeded, "that there would be a good deal more damage done that evening were it not for the plucky action of the District-inspector Keohane and the Loughrea police who, at the risk of their own lives, walked up against the firing party and ordered them out of the town – for which the people of Loughrea were extremely grateful."
His Honour, having heard the evidence of the applicant, awarded £20 compensation, adding that this was a case in which he was judicially satisfied that the damage was not caused by civilians, and he would accordingly bring the mater under the notice of the Crown authorities.
The only road hazard Eileen O'Donoghue and Bridget Ann Walsh met while competing in the first Connemara Marathon in the Inagh Valley in 2002. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Peace moves
It is now no secret that Mr. Eamonn de Valera is in Dublin (says the "Freeman's Journal" of yesterday), and it is evidently admitted by the Irish Office in London. There have been rumours that an official pronouncement would shortly be made by the leader of Sinn Féin.
The "Freeman's Journal", through a series of circumstances, claims to be able to give its readers and exclusive forecast of the statements which will probably be contained in this pronouncement.
In view of the suggestions of a peace move by the leaders of Sinn Féin, which have been appearing in the English Press, the statement of policy attributed to Mr. de Valera will give little encouragement to the hope of Irishmen who have been looking for a constitutional settlement in the near future.
Mr. de Valera maintains that any peace move must have for its basis the recognition by the English Government that Ireland is an independent nation on an equal footing. When the representatives of the English nation are prepared to meet the representatives of the Irish nation on an equal national footing peace talks will be possible.
Some surprise has been expressed that Mr. de Valera should have left America just when his new organisation, which has broken away from Friends of Irish Freedom, was in its infancy.
Mr. de Valera's reply to this is that in view of the pressure of the Government upon Ireland at present, it was only natural that he should return to take up the burden of his office.
With the arrest of Mr. Arthur Griffith and Professor Eoin MacNeill, it is said that Mr. de Valera is being searched for most assiduously by the forces of the Crown, and that there is evidence that they are most anxious to place him under arrest.
We are informed that Mr. de Valera has been in communication with many of the more prominent heads of the Sinn Féin Party, who have reported to him the general situation throughout the country.
New caretakers
A number of unemployed ex-servicemen in Galway – between forty and sixty, it is reported – have accepted positions as camp and store caretakers and guards for the auxiliary division of the R.I.C.
A dozen attendants at Ballinasloe Asylum, who have not received any wages for some time owing to the straitened financial circumstances of that institution, are also reported to have joined "the new police force."