Tag: Ballinasloe

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Galway for sale – 1850

Posted on by The Burren and Beyond

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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Dances at New York – 1931

Posted on by The Burren and Beyond

Connacht Tribune 11th April, 1931 p.22

New York City 1932 Photo: Samuel Gottscho Library of Congress Wikimedia Commons
New York City 1932
Photo: Samuel Gottscho
Library of Congress
Wikimedia CommonsDances at New York

The New West of Ireland Ballroom at 884 Columbus Avenue, New York, recently taken over by the two Galway partners, Mike Tierney and Bob Connolly, is enjoying a wonderful patronage. A successful Galway dance was held there on Sunday night which brought patrons hailing from Kinvara, Gort, Loughrea, Tuam and Ballinasloe.

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Kinvara Quay – and Tram – 1838

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Tuam Herald 28th September, 1839 p.2

Horse drawn Tram, Shop Street, Galway. National Library of Ireland on The Commons Wikimedia Commons
Horse drawn Tram, Shop Street, Galway.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Wikimedia Commons

(excerpt of letter from Mr T. Bermingham to “To the Guardians of the unions of Loughres, Gort, Ballinasloe and Tuam, especially – and to the inhabitants of the County Galway in General.”)

I have lately examined the southern coast of the Bay of Galway, and from the trade at present existing at Kinvarra and the New Quay, I have no hesitation in recommending the building there of two good piers, to protect the boats engaged in the fishery and seaweed trade, and as asylums for vessels of moderate burden, to encourage still further their spirited trade in corn, with a view of being a proper point of communication with the town of Galway by means of a steam tug – a plan which has been long agitated by the inhabitants of Galway.  Tram roads for horse power are perhaps more adapted to the present trade of this county than more expensive railways for locomotive power.

With the experience that I have had in constructing a short line of railroad on cut bog, the property of Lord Clonbrock in this county, I can almost confidently state that a double line of rails of dimensions adapted to the present trade, can be constructed for three thousand pounds per statute mile – upon which one horse can draw a load weighing ten tons upon the level. Of course it would be necessary to have relays of horses to assist at some of the elevations – which upon the route that I propose to take, would be but few.

More on Kinvara in the news archives at theburrenandbeyond.com