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Corpus Christi – Kinvarra 1859

Tuam Herald 2nd July 1859 p.3
Corpus Christi in Kinvarra
Not the least amongst the gratifying results which the mission of the Jesuit Fathers has felt after it in Kinvarra, was the scene which our chapel presented on the evening of the great festival of Corpus Christi. At half-past six o’clock p.m. the people assembled in the chapel in great numbers. The Rev Mr Arthur, P.P. commenced the devotions by reciting the Rosary of the blessed Virgin Mary, after which a short exhortation was addressed to the multitude by the Rev Mr McDonough C.C. which seemed to excite amongst them the most lively feeling of pious enthusiasm. Immediately after the exhortation a long train of young girls and boys to the number of 90 entered the sanctuary and were arranged in processional order by the Rev. Mr McDonough. The young girls (who formed the majority of the procession) were tastefully arrayed in white dresses with wreaths on their heads, and carrying in their hands bouquets of flowers. The processional banners were carried by four of the children – two of them by the young girls, and two of the boys. The procession moved several times about the interior of the chapel, through passages made amongst the crowd of adorers, the choir all the time chanting that almost inspired hymn, the ‘Lauda Sion’ composed by the ‘Angel of the schools,’ and read in the mass of Corpus Christi. The procession entered the sanctuary while the choir concluded the hymn. When the remonstrance was deposited on the alter, the choir entoned the Litany of the Blessed Virgin. After which they chanted the entire of the ‘Pange Lingua,’ which, together with the ‘Laudate,’ after benediction, they executed in a highly creditable manner. The ceremonies occupied little more than an hour, and were conducted all through with rubrical exactness and order. – Galway Vindicator.

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A Thrilling Dive – July 1919

The Evening Telegraph, Tuesday 29th July 1919 p.4
THRILLING DIVE
Airmen’s somersault into Galway Bay.(abridged)
The striking spectacle of an airman diving into the sea from a falling aeroplane, a second officer scrambling from beneath the immersed machine, and both swimming to the shore, was witnessed at Galway Bay. The machine, piloted by Captain Bowen, R.A.F., accompanied by Lieutenant Alcock, R.A.F., was seen flying at a great height over the city. Gradually it descended, when it soon became apparent to the spectators that it was in trouble. The aeroplane eventually got well over the water, where the engine stopped. The machine then turned a somersault in mid air and fell into the water. The observer jumped clear, but the pilot was unable to extricate himself in time, and was carried underneath by the falling aeroplane. With difficulty he managed to scramble out and joined his partner in a twenty-five yards’ swim to the shore, which they reached in safety before a boat dispatched from the naval base immediately the mishap was observed could arrive on the scene. In the evening a motor-launch from the base towed the derelict aeroplane into dock.

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Food in olden times – 1938

Collected by Peggie Regan, Clochar na Trocaire N.S. from John Joe Conneely, Kinvara, Co. Galway


There is a vast difference between the food the people have nowadays and the food the people had in olden days. Long ago the people never heard of a four course dinner or a lunch or they never heard of an hotel or a restaurant.
The people long ago used to eat three meals a day but they could hardly be called meals because, they were very scanty ones and they nearly always consisted of the same food. They used to call the meals breakfast, dinner and supper.
The people of long ago used to get up at daybreak and they used to have nearly a day’s work done before they ate any breakfast. The breakfasts of the people at that time were very poor ones and they only consisted of a few boiled potatoes with salt. In lots of cases the working men who used to work in the gardens used to dig up a few potatoes out of the garden and roast them in a fire which they used to make. This used to serve as a breakfast for the poor people. Before potatoes were ever heard of the people used to eat stir about made from indian-meal.
They used to have their dinner at about four o clock and they used to have potatoes for dinner also. Often times they used to drink a mug of very sour butter milk. Some of the people used to eat boiled “nettles” and “dock leaves”. They used to boil yellow flowers called “braisce” which grow in cabbage gardens and eat them for their dinner.
If the people ever got a herring for dinner the mother used to boil a big pot of potatoes and fry the herring. She used then throw the potatoes into a thing called a “scib” and they used all sit round it on the floor. She used then put the herring on a plate with gravy on “dip” as they used to call it. The mother used then say to the children “dip the praties in the dip and leave the herring to your father”.
For their supper then they used to have potatoes sometimes and boxty bread which was made out of raw potatoes. Other times they used to have oatmeal porridge and milk. They used to drink the milk out of vessels called noggins and there is a man living in “Crushoa” by the name of “Thomas Quinn” who has a few of these noggins still.

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0049, Page 0337, Duchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

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What an American Journalist saw – 1919

Excerpt from The Workhouse or Gaol in Galway. What an American Journalist saw by James M. Tuohy (Staff Correspondent of the ‘New York World’). Freemans Journal (Sydney) 9th October, 1919 p.14

It is not surprising to find that Galway is a strong Sinn Fein centre, and during the Easter rebellion of 1916 there was a futile rising there. A score of men were taken from Galway City and deported to English gaols and internment camps, including Dr. Walsh, bursar of the Galway branch of the National University, where he
also holds two important medical professorships. His experience may be taken as a fair sample of the treatment accorded to men against whom no charge was ever preferred, no evidence offered, and to whom no trialwas ever accorded.

In Galway I listened to the stories of a number of men of culture and refinement, professional men and others, who had been arrested not once but twice and even three times, had spent long periods in gaol or internment camps without ever being brought to trial. Space does not permit me to give the details of these statements, of which no one who heard them could fail to be convinced of the truthfulness. They have no desire to advertise the ill-treatment and injustice to which they have been subjected, but their indignation was roused by Mr. MacPherson’s impudent misrepresentations.


As I have said, D.O.R.A. (Defence of the Realm Act) is all powerful in Galway and throughout the west of Ireland. Hardly a night passes that a police raid is not made on some house either in the town or the surrounding country ; searches are made and men arrested without charge, some being taken off into confinement, no one knows whither. These raids are preferably made in the dead of night, the police being accompanied by lorries full of soldiers, fully armed. The victims are handcuffed, placed in the lorries and taken perhaps to the large military barracks at Renmore, across the river. The next that is heard of them usually is that they have been sentenced by court martial for being in possession of ‘seditious’ literature or some similar crime.


Then there is the ‘Customary display of force by the army of occupation — squads of soldiers marching hither and thither with their trench helmets on to overawe people. But the people seem to be unconscious of these provocative demonstrations which, strike the newcomer with amazement. Apparently familiarity breeds contempt.

Note; Mr Lloyd George sent Mr Ian MacPherson to Ireland with ‘the Coercion Act in one hand and the Defence of the Realm Act in the other.’

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Saint Patrick – 1938

In the middle of Derrybrien graveyard there is a big rock and on it are two holes which are the prints of Saint Patrick’s two knees. One hole is bigger than the other because it is said one of Saint Patrick’s knees was swollen when he knelt there. It is believed that people who do rounds and pray at this rock are cured of swollen feet.

Collected by Philomena Nester
Clochar na Trocaire N.S. Gort Inse Guaire.

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0050, Page 0031. Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

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Fr. Forde’s Mission – 1865

Kyneton Guardian and Woodend and Malmsbury Chronicle 15th April, 1865 p. 2

The following letter appears in last Thursday’s Daylesford Express. At the earnest request of the Rev. Father Forde we give it space in our columns. This clergyman, it will be remembered, has been travelling in this colony for the purpose, of collecting funds for the erection of two chapels in the curacy of Ballyvaughan, a poor district in County Clare, Ireland.
During the twenty months or so he has been here he has met with considerable success, having collected about £1,600 chiefly in small sums. Bishop Goold objects to receiving the visits of priests travelling in this manner in his diocese, considering that the people of his charge have enough to do to provide places of worship in a new country where everything has to be begun. Consequently Father Forde was
forbidden by the Bishop to collect, and the members of the Roman Catholic persuasion to subscribe, to the funds he proposed to raise by his “mission.” Notwithstanding this prohibition Father Forde has continued his collection, and under the circumstances, his success either proves the exuberance of the resources of his country people and co-religionists, who cannot find outlet in this colony sufficient for their charity, or, that under the unassuming exterior of a quiet country priest, he possesses powers of persuasion of which we would be happy to own the merest “wrinkle.”
We may state that before Father Forde went to Daylesford, he desired the insertion of a letter which we positively refused to have anything to do with, as we thought it written in a style un-worthy of his profession, for the purpose of traducing a clergyman whom, nobody in the Kyneton district but respects. Without identifying
ourselves in any way with the dispute or its cause, we append the accompanying letter, premising that since appearing in. a journal in a
a neighbouring town it has become public
property:—


To the Editor of the Express.
SIR,—Having heard from an authentic, source that the Kev Father Geogehan, of Kyneton, on Sunday last spoke from the altar of the Roman Catholic Church there in terms depreciatory of my character; that he censured those who had subscribed to the charitable purpose I am successfully carrying out through the liberality of the Victorian colonists, and prohibited, the members of his congregation from giving any assistance in the matter, I am constrained to suppose that you will afford me a little space to reply to the observations of that gentleman. I have already satisfied all disinterested persons that I am duly accredited in my mission but may add in further confirmation on that point, that not only from my own bishop only have I received, credentials but also from the Right Rev. Prelates of Clonfert and Galway, and that I suffered to submit these and other similar documents, and also acknowledgements of remittances to the proper parties in Ireland, to the inspection of the Rev. Father Geogehan; but that he declined to look at them, stating: “That it was his bishop’s wish that he should do so.”
Upon the same occasion, a person who had been in my parish in Ireland, but who was then a member of Mr Geogehan’s flock accompanied me to him; but he refused to hear her speak in attestation of my character, and in explanation of the position I held at home, or of the one I now occupy here. Upon my arrival in Kyneton, I was informed that Father Geogehan desired to have an interview with “the stranger” collecting funds for a charitable purpose in Ireland, and a friend of mine thereupon wrote to him intimating my willingness to meet him; but he declined the interview he himself had proposed. Is such conduct as this, I would ask you Sir, either fair or gentlemanly, or becoming the sacred character of a priest? Would any person with the slightest sense of justice refuse to hear the vindication of a man whose character he had publicly and most flagrantly outraged; and what is to be thought of a clergyman who would not readily and gladly permit a fellow-worker in the vineyard of the Lord to relieve himself from the ill effects of calumny and scandal that had originated in covetousness and to all uncharitableness. I have already shown my testimonials to hundreds of persons in all parts of the colony, but am nevertheless quite willing to submit them to the examination of as many men as may wish to peruse them. But I can mention one circumstance that occurred since my arrival in the colony, that will satisfactorily show that those at least who are ungenerously fomenting opposition to my purpose are well assured that I am what I represent myself to be—i.e., Roman Catholic curate of Ballyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland,
The Very Rev. Dr. Bleasdale, acting as I am to presume upon the instructions of his Bishop, proposed to me in Melbourne that I should take a mission under the Right Rev. Dr. Goold, and discontinue collecting for the purpose for which I arrived in the colony. That offer was made by him and declined by me in the presence of a third party. My reply at length was that I would if my Bishop would allow me, and they would also give me £2000 for the object for which I came out. Dr. Bleasdale then whistled, but said nothing, and so the interview ended.
Allow me to avail myself of this opportunity of thanking the inhabitants of Woodend and Malmsbury for the munificent sum I collected among them
and the people of Daylesford and surrounding districts, for their liberality in the same cause—I
am, sir, your much obliged and humble servant.
FRANCIS FORDE, R.C.C.
Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare, Ireland.
Daylesford, April 12,1865.

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Galway – 1850

The Adelaide Times, Saturday May 11, 1850 p.8
Mr Thomas Birmingham, writing to Mr. J. Grattan, from London says:-
I have accidentally discovered since my arrival here, that influential parties are projecting the purchase of the town of Galway, the entire town, nothing else will satisfy them, at a fair price, and then to establish the packet station for steamers &c. I cannot doubt my authority for this information, though undoubtedly this is a most desirable project to have realised; but would it not be advisable for Government and the representatives of Connaught to enable the proprietors of land and other property, in and about Galway, to estimate the prospective value of their properties before they are called upon to part with them, by declaring at once Galway a packet and commercial station? Then they could, with some degree of certainty, place a value on that property somewhere near the mark. I can hardly think this circumstance occasioned the failure of the meeting at Ballinasloe; but, at all events, it is high time that the public should know a little of what is going on here rather ‘sub-rosa’.

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The South Clare Railway – 1891

The Irish Standard, Jan 10, 1891 p.7
The South Clare railway works have been commenced at Miltown Malbay. Several landowners who refused to accept the offer of Mr. Murphy MP. are now willing to do so, and some have already given up the land through which the line is to run. A cargo of 300 tons of rails has been landed at Cappa Pier, and a large number of car man have been employed drawing the rails to the different working points of the line.

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Christmastime in Ireland – 1910

The Intermountain Catholic 1st January 1910 p.6

At Christmas time how the holly branches twine
In stately hall and cabin old and grey!
And red among the leaves the holly berries brightly shine
At Christmas time in Ireland, far away
And brighter than the berries are the kindly Irish eyes.
And cheery are the greetings of the day,
The greetings and the blessings from the Irish heart that rise
At Christmas time in Ireland, far away!

At Christmas time in Ireland you can hear the chapel bell
A-calling ere the dawning of the day;
You can see the people thronging over field and over fell
To the ‘early Mass’ in Ireland, far away;
And saintly are the ‘sagarts’ that before the altars stand.
And faithful are the flocks that kneel and pray
Ah, surely God must show’r His choicest blessings on the land,
At Christmas time in Ireland, far away!

At Christmas time in Ireland there is feasting, there is song.
And merrily the fife and fiddle play
And lightly dance the cailín and boys the evening long.
At Christmas time in Ireland, far away!
There is light and there is laughter, there is music there is mirth.
And lovers speak as only lovers may.
Ah, there is nothing half so sweet to any land on earth,
As Christmas time in Ireland, far away!

At Christmas time in Ireland there is sorrow too for those
Who scattered far in exile sadly stray
And many a tear in silence for a friend beloved falls
At Christmas time in Ireland far away.
But still amid the grieving is a hope to banish fears.
That God will safely send them back some day.
To know again the happiness that long ago was theirs.
At Christmas time in Ireland far away.


Denis A. McCarthy

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Galway for sale – 1850

The Adelaide Times, Saturday May 11, 1850 p.8
Mr Thomas Birmingham, writing to Mr. J. Grattan, from London says:-
I have accidentally discovered since my arrival here, that influential parties are projecting the purchase of the town of Galway, the entire town, nothing else will satisfy them, at a fair price, and then to establish the packet station for steamers &c. I cannot doubt my authority for this information, though undoubtedly this is a most desirable project to have realised; but would it not be advisable for Government and the representatives of Connaught to enable the proprietors of land and other property, in and about Galway, to estimate the prospective value of their properties before they are called upon to part with them, by declaring at once Galway a packet and commercial station? Then they could, with some degree of certainty, place a value on that property somewhere near the mark. I can hardly think this circumstance occasioned the failure of the meeting at Ballinasloe; but, at all events, it is high time that the public should know a little of what is going on here rather ‘sub-rosa’.