The following official report was issued yesterday (Thursday) afternoon;
Commandant S. O’Reilly, O.C., National troops, Portumna, surrounded Kinvara, Co. Galway this morning and arrested there Edward E. a qualified engineer, who had been sent from field general headquarters, Irregular forces, Fermoy, as an engineering officer for the west. Included in his instructions was a letter to Mr. Michael K. O.C. 4th Western Division, Irregulars, asking the latter to make him a suitable weekly allowance. Important papers, maps, plans, etc, together with a revolver and ammunition were found upon him. His capture is regarded as important.
Mr. C. F. Kinvara was an irregular who had been active in the district, was also arrested. Two motor cars, from which the numbers have been razed, were found.
Freeman’s Journal 8th August, 1861 p4
Monday evening the poor Claddagh fishermen went out in great numbers, hoping to profit by the myriads of herrings that swarm our bay. It was blowing moderately at the time from the N.W., but a few hours later it blew a regular gale from the westward, scattering the hookers in all directions, obliging them to run, some for Kinvara, and others for Ballyvaughan and Newquay. With difficulty they reached those places of shelter, and we regret to learn that many of the poor people lost their nets and fishing gear in the storm. They mostly returned today and loud are the lamentations of many a poor family in the Claddagh for the loss of the instruments of their labours.
A large and enthusiastic meeting for the purpose of protesting against the conscription menace was held at Kinvara on Sunday week. The meeting was addressed by the Rev. J. W. O”Meehan B.D., C.C. (Chairman); Rev. J. Keeley, C.C; Dr. T.J.Connolly; T.P. Corless; P.J.Flatley; J.Kilkelly and F.J. Johnston.
The nine Anti-Conscription Committee members (image on left);
Arthur Griffith, Eamon de Valera, John Dillon, Joe Devlin, William O’Brien, Thomas Johnson, Michael Egan, Timothy Michael Healy, William X. O’Brien.
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.
Miss C. Nally, a member of Kinvara’s oldest families, offered to donate some of her property in the harbour area in the interests of the residents who are considering their town as a tourist centre, and the project of constructing a promenade was discussed. All householders were called upon to co-operate in beautifying their premises and the site of a community centre was decided upon.
View from Duras, on the way to Aughnish Photo: BO'(abridged)
Dear Mr Moran,
In last week’s issue of the “Tribune”, I read an account of the serious damage done to the sea wall at Aughnish by the storm. This, I think, calls for a little plain speaking from someone in the locality. In the interests of the heavily-muleted ratepayers of the Gort Rural District, I am prompted to write and I hope to convince you that my remarks are more than necessary.
The sea wall, or “Coch,” at Aughnish, as you are aware, is a causeway connecting the densely populated village of Aughnish Co. Clare, with the mainland at Geeha – an appropriate name, for every wind that blows, run riot there. The road runs along by the Atlantic for about a thousand yards, two-thirds of it being in the Gort Rural District, and one-third being in the Ballyvaughan District, County Clare. For the past half century the causeway has been repaired times out of mind at considerable cost to the County Galway, but at a very trifling cost to the County Clare. More money has been spent by the Galway Grand Jury and the Gort Rural District Council on repairing breaches after every storm than would steamroll all the roads in Kinvara and Duras for the next ten years.
The people are heartily sick voting huge sums away year after year for repairs that, for all practical purposes might as well have been thrown into the sea.
Your predecessors applied for small sums varying from £50 to £100 for repairing the sea wall, and the work was always entrusted to a Gubaun Saor, whose only ambition was to draw his money and not care a straw if it fell the day after, as it did a number of years ago under the Grand Jury regime.
The Clare Grand Jury did things better, they expended a decent sum twenty golden years ago, and they never had to expend a penny on repairing it ever since. The Clare county surveyor insisted on a competent clerk of works superintending the contract from start to finish and he insisted on the proper materials being used, and on the specification being carried out to the letter. I am sure if you visit Aughnish and see for yourself what is required and insist on having it done (as I am sure you will), in a proper manner and by competent mechanics under a resident engineer, such as you have amongst your assistants, it will be a long time again before the Aughnish sea wall comes up before the Gort District Council. Unless you take action at once, and put an end to botching and tinkering for ever, I fear the ratepayers of Kinvara and Duras will rise in rebellion against the District council at the next quarterly meeting.
Hoping that you take my advice to heart.
Your obedient servant.
SPEX
The Council of the Galway Chamber of Commerce had an interesting discussion at its meeting on Friday evening last on the question of linking up the towns around Galway Bay more closely with the city, and developing traffic on the Corrib. Prof. A. Eraut, M.A. occupied the chair; and the discussion was mitigated by Mr J.O’Kelly-Lynch, who said that Mr Winkle, Mr Feeney and other merchants in Kinvara had pointed out to him that much of the trade of that town was done with Ennis and Limerick, and that it could be diverted to Galway provided regular communication were established across the Bay. The pier at Kinvara was available even for a boat like the Dun Aengus. The gentlemen mentioned had sent him a telegram that day saying that they would offer their utmost support to any proposal to establish closer communication by sea.
Mr. M.J.Crowley, H.C., thought it would be well to discuss the whole matter with Captain Meskill of the Dun Aengus, who was an expert on these matters. The Galway Bay Co.’s boat had only nine feet of a draft, but he believed that at times she had to be in the mud at Kinvara.
Mr. Sp. P. Corbett said that Commander Hanan had a small boat at the docks, and he had made an effort to establish a commercial trade with Kinvara, but it had not been a success.
Mr C.C. Copeland, of the City of Galway Shipping Co., said he thought that Commander Hanan had some trouble with his engines at Kinvara, and the wages he was compelled to pay for repairs over there took away anything he could earn on the venture.
It was resolved that the secretary should communicate with the traders of Kinvara as to what traffic they could guarantee and consult Captain Meskill and the owner of the boat on the Corrib.
Six of the French children brought to this country by the Irish Red Cross Society are now pupils of the Mercy Convent, Kinvara, Co. Galway. They travelled from Dublin to Galway by train, and completed the journey by road, on Friday last. The girls, whose ages range from ten to fifteen years, were accompanied from Dublin by Miss Aughney, an expert linguist. At Athlone they were hospitably entertained by Mrs McCorley, wife of Col. McCorley, O.C. of the Western Command, and other members of the local branch of the Red Cross. The girls were given a meal at the G.B.C. restaurant, and then four of them were taken by Mrs Blake on a short trip through the city in a pony trap. They enjoyed the run very much and expressed themselves delighted with Galway. The two eldest preferred to make a brief excursion on foot, accompanied by Miss Aughney. When they all got together again they set off for Kinvara.
When a six years old boy fell into the sea at Kinvara Quay, Mr P. Green, a fisherman, raised the alarm. Mr John Holland, who lives on the quayside, taking off his coat, dashed from his house and dived into the water, which was 10 feet deep at the time. With the aid of a lifebuoy, thrown by Mr Green, Mr Holland brought the boy ashore. This is the second life save there by Mr Holland.
The Burren and Beyond 