Pages from the Past: the need for a new church in Fore
Westmeath Examiner, July 26 1884
Construction to the Fore
At least three separate items in the Westmeath Examiner of July 26, 1884 focused on the need for a new church in Fore, with one describing how locals had the previous week turned out to begin digging the foundations of the edifice.
“Upwards of 200 labouring men of the parish attended and dug up the ground completely for the foundations of the large church which it is intended to erect,” one of the items stated, adding that the willingness and enthusiasm displayed by these men during the work was most creditable to them.
Backing the call of the local clergy for support for the drive to raise the funds required to build the church, The Westmeath Examiner stated that the people in the parish were too poor to subscribe the necessary funds without help from outside, adding that at present they were already oppressed with an extra taxation that would be a burden even on people in far better circumstances.
In their appeal for funding, the local clergy wrote that Fore was once a celebrated and important place in Ireland: “It had its members of parliament, its fortifications and its famous monastery, now alas one of Ireland's most interesting ruins. The fame of departed glory, the ruin of bygone greatness and the vision of lovely scenery, presenting all the appearances of poverty and decay, are now almost all the temporal inheritance of its thoroughly Celtic inhabitants,” they wrote stating that the village's chapel was very much decayed, the walls, roof, windows and doors being dilapidated beyond repair.
Westmeath Examiner, July 21 1894
A fishy tale!
“Considerable excitement” had been caused in Mullingar the previous week, the Westmeath Examiner announced, due to the revelation that an “enormous” trout had been caught on Lake Belvedere by Mr William Meares of Mullingar.
The fish, it turned out, set a record for this country and possibly even for the British Isles as a whole, weighing 26 lbs 2 oz. He was, the paper continued, “perfectly made and had the colour which is typical of the Belvedere trout”.
“His length from snout to tail was 34 and a quarter inches, girth at tail 9 inches, width of tail 10 and a quarter inches, diameter 12 inches, thickness five and a quarter inches.”
The report stated that the bait used was a minnow and from the time the trout took the bait until his capture only about 10 minutes had elapsed. The only difficulty Mr Meares had in landing him was the fact that his net had not been made for fish of such enormous dimensions and weight.
The report went on to state that Mr Meares placed the fish in a basket and put it on show at his house “which was visited until a late hour by all who heard the news and there was unanimous feeling that it was the biggest and finest trout in every respect any of them had ever seen though many of them like Mr Meares were experienced fishermen. The writer revealed that Mr Meares had since then sent the trout to Dublin to have it preserved.
Westmeath Examiner, July 23, 1904
Ninety donations of turf
A week earlier, a large quantity of turf, the property of Mr Lawrence Gavin, Clerk of Mullingar Union, had been destroyed by fire at his home at Stoneyford. The newspaper stated that it was not known whether the burning in the night was accidental or malicious, but it was believed that if done in the latter way, the occurrence was due to some private difference between workmen.
The report went on to state that the incident had, however, only afforded people the opportunity to testify in a remarkable manner to the esteem and respect in which Mr Gavin was held: “Some days afterwards, between 80 and 90 loads of turf were presented from people of all classes in the district to recoup Mr Gavin for his loss and to demonstrate the very kindly feelings of all his neighbours.”
The newspaper report went on to state that the sight was a striking one and that the procession of several loads of turf in cars, carts and even wheelbarrows was something out of the ordinary. The presentation had been organised amongst people without Mr Gavin's knowledge.
“The procession started at 12 o'clock from Dalystown Crossroads headed by a goat drawing a small car with a few sods of turf. The animal was decorated in green and bore the legend ‘Down with incendiarism’.
“Next came Pat Lyons from Cloonagh with a barrow full of black turf representing the working man who was not possessed of a horse or donkey."
The item concluded by naming all those who had sent cars containing turf.
Westmeath Examiner, July 25, 1914
Funding a footpath at Harbor Street
A report of the Mullingar RDC quarterly meeting described discussions made regarding upgrades to the condition of Harbour Street in Mullingar.
Mr James Hughes, apparently, moved to have 23 perches of a concrete path provided at Harbour Street, which was likely to cost £50. Mr Hughes said there was a great deal of traffic on that street and the proposed work was very necessary. Mr Nugent remarked that there was a motor garage in Harbour Street. He said one side of the street was the responsibility of the town commissioners and the county council should be asked to concrete the other side. He thought the street was alright as it was at present.
Mr Joyce stated that in work of that class it was usual for the town commissioners to pay one third and for the landlord to pay one third. Mr Nugent remarked that Harbour Street was not thickly populated. Mr Hughes pointed out that all funerals went around that way.
Said Mr Nugent: “I have no objection to a footpath being made. What I do object to is the country people paying for a footpath in the town of Mullingar.”
It was then agreed that an application be made to Lord Greville and the town commissioners to have a contribution made towards the cost of construction of the footpath.
Westmeath Examiner, July 26, 1924
Independent Co-Op Trades Union
A public meeting was held in the County Hall in Mullingar on the Thursday of the previous week with a view to setting up a branch of the Independent Co-operative Trades Union.
At the meeting, John Reynolds was appointed president, Thomas Mee was appointed vice-president and Mr Maloney was appointed to the role of secretary. The report stated that a number of speakers addressed the meeting. Mr John Lyons TD, in the course of a lengthy address, explained the aims and objectives of the new organisation, which, he said was intended to practically put an end to strikes and lockouts and to foster better relations between employer and employee and to make the worker independent. He said that disputes would be submitted to arbitration and in this way strikes would be, to a large extent, averted.
Not alone did they hope to succeed in settling the industrial question but also the political situation by bringing about a union of all Ireland, a union not alone of the 26 but of the 32 counties. Mr Lyons further said that their aim would be to encourage home industry and the support of Irish-made goods.
Westmeath Examiner, July 28 1934
A pharmaceutical family
An item quoting from a pharmaceutical magazine reported that, on July 10, the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland had co-opted Mr John Kevin Whelehan, MPSI, Mullingar, as a member of its council.
The report stated that Mr Whelehan, came from a pharmaceutical family, his father, the late Mr P Whelehan, having carried on the same business at Pearse Street in Mullingar for many years. Mr Whelehan had served his apprenticeship to his father and, on completion, joined the staff of JS Evans & Co Ltd, Stephen’s Green, Dublin, where he spent two years.
In 1931, Mr Whelehan qualified as a licentiate of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. He then joined his father at Mullingar, taking over the business on the late Mr Whelehan's death in 1931.
The report stated that during his time in Dublin, Mr Whelehan had taken a very active part in pharmaceutical affairs. Since his return to Mullingar, Mr Whelehan had been identified with many social and other activities in Mullingar. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and was, for a time, scoutmaster of the First Westmeath Troop of Catholic Boy Scouts. He was also a keen rugby enthusiast.
Westmeath Examiner, July 29 1944
Relics of the Stone Age
Just last week in the Westmeath Examiner we reported that the National Museum of Ireland was interested in knowing more about the provenance of two axe heads which were sent to it anonymously. Strangely on the same week in 1944 we had another report pertaining to antique axe heads.
The 1944 report stated that two interesting relics of the Stone Age had been found recently in Westmeath bogs during turf-cutting operations, one at The Downs and the other at Kilpatrick.
The two were stone axes.
The report said that the first one was very small, measuring 1.5 inches, and was considered to have been used as an amulet or pendant. The second was “a very fine specimen”, 4.5 inches long and made of flint, a stone not usually found in Westmeath. The report stated that it was in very good condition and still retained a fine cutting edge. Both axe heads were given to Mr H Weir, MPSI, who was to forward them to the National Museum. The report stated that both dated from the Stone Age, about 1,500 years BC.
The report went on to state that Mr Weir was to be congratulated on the good work he was doing in collecting these relics of antiquity. In previous years he had also brought many other interesting finds to the notice of the authorities of the National Museum.
Westmeath Examiner, July 31, 1954
Knockdrin AC
Knockdrin Athletic Club, held a meeting at Crookedwood Hall with Mr H Abbott, NT, presiding.
The report stated that the following members had attended: Reverend Father Holmes, PP Taughmon, Messrs E Fagan, F Carthy, C Brennan, William McGuinness, C McCormack, P Murtagh, Inspector O'Carroll and T Redmond, who was the secretary.
The chairman said that the committee suffered a financial loss in running the sports day the previous year owing to bad weather, but otherwise the event was a great success. Competition was very keen and each event was well contested.
“We look forward to favourable weather conditions this year and a good attendance,” he said.
The secretary reported that he had received applications from a great number of clubs for entry forms and he was glad to inform them that athletes from the four provinces would compete that year. Granted reasonably fine weather, the sports should be a huge success, he predicted, going on to appeal for support for the prize fund, stating that he would be very grateful for donations of prizes and subscriptions towards the cost of the same.
Mr E Fagan proposed that a weight-throwing event together with a tug-of-war contest should be added to the sports programme and these proposals were unanimously agreed to. Arrangements were made for track improvement and it was also agreed that the sports ground would be got into a good condition ahead of the event, which was due to take place on Sunday, August 22.
Evening Herald, July 25, 1964
Prices in Mullingar
“Prices in Mullingar” was the title over a letter of complaint published in the Evening Herald on July 25, 1964 signed by someone who went just as a “Traveller”.
It stated that in a recent issue of the Evening Herald there had been a letter from a Dubliner who travelled to the west and who had on his way stopped at various towns and had drinks.
The letter writer noted that the person had quoted the price of drink in each town but he had not mentioned Mullingar.
“He was lucky he did not stop there as it is the dearest town in Ireland,” the letter writer wrote.
“A home brewed draught beer was 2/2 per pint there while it was only 1/10 in all the other provincial towns and only 2/1 in any of the big Dublin bars.
“I called to a bar in this mean town and I was shocked at the high prices charged for all drinks. I asked the bar assistant the reason. He did not know.”