Month: November 2015

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The state of Kinvara – 1910

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Freemans Journal 15th August, 1910 p.5

Photo: Cresswell archives
Photo: Cresswell archives

Letter from Mr. Briscoe to the editor of the Freeman’s Journal. (abridged)
Town Tenants’ League,
Executive Offices,
4 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin
14th August, 1910.

Dear Sir,
As your readers may be aware, much disturbance and unrest has prevailed at Kinvara for some time past in consequence of the refusal of the trustees of the Sharpe Estate to reduce the rents in the town to the figure they were under O’Donnellan Blake Forster, and sanctioned by the late Judge Monroe when the estate was in his Court.  Some time since decrees were obtained against the tenant, and these have been lodged with the Sheriff for execution. Yesterday Mr. Corless of Kinvara wired me asking to have execution of decrees delayed, and I immediately wired the agents asking them to have this done. This morning I received the following courteous reply to my wire from the agents:

Tuam, 13th August, 1910.
Kinvara Estate.
Dear Sir,
We have received your telegram of this date, and, as requested, we have asked the solicitor for the estate to communicate with the Sheriff and ask him to hold over the execution of the decrees for a few days. We wrote to the tenants before lodging the decrees with the Sheriff, and gave them every opportunity of paying. If the rents and costs to date are now paid, we shall give the Congested Districts Board every facility to enable them to make an offer for the estate. The execution of the decrees can only be stayed to the 20th inst.
Yours truly,
D.J. Kirwan and Sons.

It was in connection with this estate Mr. Wm. Field, M.P; Mr Wm. Duffy, M.P; and myself recently interviewed the Chief Secretary in London, and I had strong hopes that interview would have laid the foundation of a settlement in the interest of the people of Kinvara. I may add I do not hold the Messrs. Kirwan in any way responsible for harsh proceedings, but evidently the trustees will have their pound of flesh.
Yours faithfully,
Coghlan Briscoe.

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Shipping Intelligence – 1925

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Photo: Norma Scheibe
Photo: Norma Scheibe

Connacht Tribune 31st January, 1925 p.8
The following ships arrived in Galway harbour this week;
ss Mungret, from Liverpool on Monday, to load a cargo of timber for Garston;
ss Turquoise from Ayr, with cargo of coal for Mr. B. Hynes;
Cymrich, auxiliary motor vessel, bound from Dublin to Kinvara with cargo of manure in bags for Mr. O’Dea.

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Galway – County Clare – 1892

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The Cork Examiner, 1st March 1892

Photo: Norma Scheibe
Photo: Norma Scheibe

Strange Robbery of Arms
(Central News Telegram) Galway, Monday.
On Saturday evening the Naval Reserve Armoury, just outside this town, was broken into and its contents, consisting of twenty-three Martini-Henri rifles and seventeen cutlasses, were stolen. For many years these arms were stored in the police barracks, but recently they were removed to the armoury. No guard was kept at this place, and the door was fastened by an ordinary padlock, which could be picked with little difficulty. The police have been scouring the countryside since the robbery was discovered, but the thieves have not yet been traced. One of the cutlasses, however, and a ramrod, have been found on a road leading to the shore of the bay. It is conjectured that the robbers crossed in a boat from the County Clare, and made their escape with their booty the same way. Today her Majesty’s cutter Fly conveyed a party of police across the bay to County Clare to join in the search.

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Kinvara – 1958

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Connacht Tribune 6th December, 1958 p.7girl
Kinvara Dramatic Society, which last year drew the greatest attendances ever seen at any amateur or professional dramatic society in this district, is staging “A Damsel From Dublin” at the Kinvara Hall on December 14th, 15th and 16th and will later produce the same play in Clarenbridge on Sunday, December, 21st. Kieran Moylan takes the principal.

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Kinvara – 1922

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Connacht Tribune 1922 (abridged)

Photo: EO'D
Photo: EO’D

Official I.R.A. Galway, issued the following on Monday evening;
Having received information at Galway that post offices were being raided at Kinvara and Ardrahan, five men under Captain Farrelly O’Rourke were dispatched to Kinvara by Motor. Upon arrival they were told that the raiders had left in the direction of Gort. The official party pursued them hotly, and on reaching Gort, were told that the men had gone into the barracks. These men wore uniforms and carried arms, and their names were given to the Official I.R.A. party at Kinvara. Subsequently a man left the barracks, was pursued, and escaped. A sum of one pound ten shillings was taken from Kinvara Post Office.

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Newtownlynch, Duras – 1910

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Connacht Tribune 7th May, 1910 p.5  (abridged)

Photo: Pikaluk Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Pikaluk
Wikimedia Commons

On Monday morning last at about 8 o’clock, Newtownlynch farm at Duras was the scene of a large cattle drive. Men, women and children, all tenants on the estate of Major Lynch, assembled to the number of over one hundred, and went to the farm, which was guarded by police. When the police saw the people coming towards the farm they advanced and called on the crowd not to enter the lands, but they were met with defiant shouts of “No surrender!” While the police were engaged with the people on the road, a number of men managed to get on the lands, and drove a large number of horses, cattle and sheep off the farm. The police in another portion of the farm who were guarding the stock during the night, apparently were asleep, and were only awakened by the noise of the cattle. The farm was cleared with the exception of three horses.

The police called on them to stop and drew their revolvers. The men replied with shouts of “Faugh-a-ballagh,” and “We will drive them to h___.” Some of the police then started for Kinvara for reinforcements. The “drive” continued in the direction of Kinvara en route for Clarenbridge, where the owner of the stock resides. Large numbers joined the “drive” on the road. Sergeant Mulligan, in charge of a cordon of police, attempted to stop the stock within one and a half miles of Kinvara, but failed.

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Kinvara – 1951

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Connacht tribune 28th April, 1951 p.7

MAin Street Kinvara
Kinvara – Cresswell archives

In the Dáil last week Mr. R. Lahiffe asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce what were the reasons for the delay in bringing rural electrification to Kinvara. The Minister stated that a canvass of the area had not met with sufficient response to make the scheme financially sound. He understood, he stated, that a local committee was endeavouring the increase the number of potential consumers and he could give no assurance as to when electricity would be brought to that area.

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W.S.O’Brien – Corcomroe – 1857

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Connaught Telegraph 14th October, 1857 p.3 (abridged)

Effigy King Conor O Brien, Corcomroe Abbey Photo: Andreas F. Borchert Wikimedia Commons
Effigy King Conor O Brien, Corcomroe Abbey
Photo: Andreas F. Borchert
Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, W.S.O’Brien Esq., arrived in Ballyvaughan from St. Catherine’s and drove on to see the ruins of the Abbey of Corcomroe in which lies a stone figure of one Connor O’Brien,  a monk in the monastery about 600 years ago.  After Mr. O’Brien returned in the evening, he proceeded to Lisonaid. A number of people lighted tar barrels and the unusual accompaniment was presented of a canoe or currough on fire to welcome him to his native county. Mr. O’Brien came out, and having briefly thanked the people for their reception of him the crowd dispersed and returned homewards, cheering so lustily that the distant sounds might be heard through the valley of Gleneraga, and even to the old Castle of Glenenagh.
Munster news.

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Kinvara hero – 1952

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Connacht Tribune 27th March, 1954 p.19

Photo: EO'D
Photo: EO’D

The rescue of a three year old girl from drowning at the Quay, Kinvara, Co. Galway on September, 2nd 1952, was recalled at Galway Court on Thursday when Justice T.G. Burke presented to Kevin O’Regan (18) of Kinvara, a certificate for bravery on behalf of Comhairle na Mire Gaile.
The citation stated that at 6.30 p.m. on September, 2nd, 1952, a little girl, who was playing with another child at The Quay, Kinvara, fell into the sea.
Mr O’Regan, who was working nearby, dived fully clothed into the water, swam about five yards, and caught the child who was then sinking. He swam back with the child, carried her up on the quay, and with the assistance of his sister, applied artificial respiration until the child recovered consciousness.
The sea, concluded the citation, was fairly rough at the time and the tide was ebbing. The water was nine feet deep with a drop of six feed from the quay to water level.
Justice Burke congratulated Mr O’Regan on his brave rescue. It gave him great pleasure, he said, to present the award.
He is son of Mr M O’Regan, Merchant, Kinvara, and is a prominent member of the Kinvara hurling and football teams.