Sunday closing – 1879

It is nearly eight years since the Most Rev. Dr. M’Evilly, Lord Bishop of Galway, impressed upon the people of the diocese and of the diocese of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, of which his Lordship is Apostolic Administrator, the propriety of closing public houses on Sundays and his Lordship was almost implicitly obeyed. Since that time nearly all the respectable traders in Galway, in Gort, in Oughterard, in Ennistymon, in Kinvarra, and all the large towns in the dioceses mentioned, have kept their establishment closed on Sundays. Hence the law makes very little difference in this part of Ireland.
Two, or at most three, obscure public houses were kept open on Sunday in Galway, and these were frequented by a straggling lot of persons. It is a remarkable thing about Galway that when the bill for Sunday closing was before Parliament a petition was sent forward from the vintners of Galway in favour of that measure. There are about 120 public-house-keeepers in the county of the town of Galway, and over 100 signed the petition. Some of the others were absent at the time. But, as I have said, nearly all obeyed the Lord Bishop, so that virtually the operation of the Sunday closing Act will make very little change in the City of the Tribes.