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Westmeath Examiner, October 11, 1924

Hurling grievance

A letter to the editor complained of the conditions which awaited players who travelled to play a match at Rochfortbridge.

Said the letter writer, P Moran: “The carrying out of the local Gaelic Athletic Championships was always a source of adverse comment, but it is now worse than ever before.

“On Sunday last, I travelled with the Mental Hospital hurling team to Rochfortbridge to play an important tie in the senior championship.

“The field we were ushered into was flooded in one end and covered with a thick coat of long grass. There was no sign of goalposts, sidelines or any of the usual paraphernalia.

“The match was timed to start at 3 o’clock. We waited till 4 o’clock, and waded around shivering through the slush. Then we heard the rumour that a deputation from the local club was about to proceed to interview a local landowner with a view to getting the use of a less unsuitable field. Some optimists ventured to predict that there might be a field marked and goalposts erected before 5 o’clock. Despite this encouraging prospect, I thought I had waited long enough and I went home. I heard afterwards that the opposing team waited on, took part in the cross-country trek to the new patch and reaped the fruits of their perseverance by being awarded the match.

“Comment on this state of affairs would be superfluous. If the county committee cannot provide a suitable pitch properly marked and fitted so that the game can start at the advertised time, they had better drop hurling from the programme. Hurling is our oldest, best and most essentially national game. It deserves a better fate. It will certainly need artificial respiration to keep it alive in this county unless the local governing body adopts more business-like methods.”

Westmeath Examiner, October 13, 1934

Land annuities collection

In an ongoing dispute over the collection of land annuities, the latest development was the arrival of a special force of civic guards to Mullingar, the Westmeath Examiner reported on October 13, 1934.

The civic guards, who installed themselves at the military barracks, were described in the item as a mobile force organised for the purpose of an extensive drive for the collection of unpaid land annuities.

“The intention seems to be to proceed from county to county and the first one selected is Westmeath, where the annuities are greatly in arrears and where for two months no progress has been made with the collection, owing to the dismissal or resignation of all bailiffs in the county,” the report stated, adding that the force was well equipped to cope with obstruction:

“It brought with it to Mullingar several lorries for the conveyance of cattle or anything else that may be seized and a large number of motor cars. Amongst the equipment is a supply of hatchets, saws and planks. The number is said to be about 30 and they are in command of a superintendent. They appear to be acting independently of the local force but it is said that the supreme command, at least locally, rests with the chief superintendent of the county in which for the time being they may be stationed.”

The report went on to state that the men were not long in Mullingar until their efficiency was tested:

“On Monday morning nearly all the main and many of the by-roads were found to be blocked with large trees which had been cut down during the night or the early hours of that morning. Telegraph and telephone wires had been cut as were also the signal wires along the railroad. The result was that the traffic was greatly impeded and trains, buses and other means of conveyance were held up for hours. The mail train arrived late in Mullingar and its departure was delayed for some hours. Not only Mullingar but practically the whole west of Ireland was cut off from communication.

“From an early hour the special force was active scouring all parts of the county and removing the obstructions. It is believed that the object of those engaged in the work of felling trees and cutting walls was to obstruct the collection of the annuities. Of course the public was much inconvenienced, but happily no accident of any kind occurred.”

The report went on to state that before evening most of the obstructions were removed, but the writer commented that it was plain that there must have been a large number of persons engaged during the night in setting up the obstructions as almost every road was affected.

“In at least one instance in the Delvin area, after the guards had cleared away the obstruction, soon afterwards they discovered a fresh one behind them which they had just traversed.

“On Tuesday one man was arrested at Raharney, but was subsequently discharged, there not being enough evidence to sustain a charge.

“On Wednesday the force divided itself into two or three sections and left Mullingar by different roads, but eventually converged in the Loughnavalley and Dysart areas.”

The writer reported that in those areas they visited some farmers and in two farms did succeed in collecting annuities. In another they failed, however, to obtain the money due and so in consequence seized eight head of cattle. These were brought to the barracks where a portion of the grounds had been railed in to serve as a pound.

The writer went on to report that on the Thursday night or Friday morning a resumption of the tree-felling activity took place and roads in many parts of the county were blocked, including that on the Castlepollard side of Crookedwood. The cattle seized in the Loughnavalley/ Dysart area were due to be sold the following Monday, the report concluded.

Westmeath Examiner, October 14, 1944

New York governor’s Moate roots

The Westmeath Examiner reported that a man with strong Westmeath connections, Al Smith, the four-time governor of New York, who had also been a strong presidential candidate some years previously, had died at the age of 70.

The report stated that Mr Smith had started life as a newsboy, but “aided by his personal integrity and strength of character, he had fought his way to the top ranks in American public life”.

The report went on to say that in June 1937, Mr Smith had visited Ireland accompanied by his wife. He had talks with Mr de Valera and was entertained at the American Legation by the then American Minister to Eire, Mr Alvin Owsley and by Mr JJ Walsh.

The item concluded by reporting that Mr Smith’s grandparents were born in Moate and that during his visit to this country, he visited Parkwood, Moate, where he met three cousins, Mr E Marsh, Mr B Marsh and Mrs J Geoghegan.

Westmeath Examiner, October 9, 1954

Disease and dirt – ‘deadly enemies’

“Conscientious parents who want to see their children get on in life are careful to ensure that they make the most of their schooling,” started an item in the issue of October 9, 1954 before going on to issue some advice.

“Do they know their lessons? Have they done their homework? None of those precious hours and days must be wasted if the children are to make the best of every possible chance that the short school years have to offer.

“And yet, are all these parents really doing everything to ensure their children’s success? There are lessons to be learned at home that no school, however good, can teach as parents can. There are subjects which, if omitted from the home timetable, can waste not only hours, but weeks and even years of a child’s life.

“Personal cleanliness should be taught from the very earliest years. A child should acquire the habit even before he can be taught its vital importance. Once the training is there, his own good sense will keep him clean and healthy all through life, after he has realised for himself the moral, physical and social difference that absolute cleanliness confers.

“There is nothing difficult or complicated in the lesson. No tedious memorising or long hours of practice. Just the simple habit of soap and water. A refreshing scrub morning and evening and a thorough tubbing in warm water at least once a week with an iron rule that hands and nails are scrubbed free from grime and faces washed before every meal. These are the few simple rules that will keep a child clean, self-respecting and healthy throughout life as well as during the school year.

“Children would not be children if they did not find themselves in all sorts of scrapes and pickles throughout the day. Indeed it is often the brightest and liveliest child that is the greatest tomboy.

“There is little harm in picking up dirt provided it is not there to stay to infect food and clothing, to ruin health and appearance.

“Disease and dirt are the deadly enemies of children. Soap and water are the deadly enemies of disease and dirt.”

Westmeath Independent, October 10, 1964

Athlone ‘more dangerous than London’

“Is it harder or more dangerous to cross the street in London or Athlone?” was the question posed by Tatler, in his Midlander Survey in the Westmeath Independent.

The answer, according to a friend of his, he stated, was Athlone.

“In London, he says, crossing the street is quite simple compared with Athlone, where there is no such thing as a pedestrian crossing and where motorists show little consideration for those on foot,” wrote Tattler, who said that his friend’s remarks had come to mind the previous Sunday evening as he watched a woman with a pram and two children trying to cross the street at Custume Place.

“She stood out on the road for several minutes while cars rolled by. Then, there was a break in the traffic and she moved to the centre of the road. When she got there, a big car came on and she had to go back to her original position, as this was followed by other cars.

“I had thought in the circumstances that the driver of the first car should at least have slowed up to let her cross, but no consideration was shown.

“If a dog had been on the road the car would probably have slowed, but not for human beings. It took that woman several minutes before she was able to get across. I think there is a crying need for pedestrian crossings in Athlone or traffic lights which would be effective in breaking up the steady flow of vehicles. Local councillors should take note.”

Westmeath Examiner, October 12, 1974

Honour for Paddy

The news that Westmeath GAA official Paddy Flanagan had been named Westmeath Man of the Year by the Westmeath Association in Dublin was carried in the edition of October 12, 1974. Mr Flanagan, from Millmount, Mullingar, was awarded the accolade for his promotional work with the Westmeath Associations of both Dublin and London and for his public relations work with the Westmeath GAA county board.

Mr Flanagan got involved with the two county associations in 1963, and had, every year since then, attended the Dublin association’s annual dinner dances. In 1970, together with the Most Rev Wm Dunne, DD (Delvin), Bishop of Kitui and Robert Webster, he was made an honorary life member.

He was also made an honorary life member of The Westmeath Association in London.

Westmeath Examiner, October 6, 1984

Fears for future of farming

The abolition of the Land Commission could lead to the death of the agricultural industry in Ireland, Dan McCarthy, chairman of the ICMSA Farm Family Development Committee, warned at a meeting of the Westmeath County Committee of Agriculture, of which he was a member.

Mr McCarthy said that unless an all-embracing land structural policy, operated by a revamped Land Commission or similar body, was introduced as a matter of urgency, up to 100,000 farmers could be joining the dole queues by the year 1990. He was speaking on a motion tabled by Paddy Jordan calling on the government to rescind its decision to abolish the Land Commission.

Westmeath Examiner, October 8, 1994

The business of bachelors

The “business people of Mullingar” were being urged to give more financial support to the Mullingar Bachelor Festival, which, the Westmeath Examiner reported, was “ever-growing”.

The item went on to state that it was hoped that the festival would reach “Rose of Tralee proportions”.

At a public meeting the previous Thursday night, it had been announced that the Festival and Bachelor competition had cost £70,000 to run and made a profit of more than £400.

The income received had allowed the organisers clear debts accumulated over previous years.

Westmeath Examiner, October 9, 2004

Blackhall plans

As long as 20 years ago, the regeneration of Blackhall was on the cards, and two stories on the front of the issue of October 9, 2004 related to that project.

In the lead story, the county council defended the price for which it had sold the land it owned at Blackhall to the developer, Rickaton Construction Ltd, a subsidiary of Bennett Construction.

The council was being accused of selling off its land at a price lower than the actual value of the land.

Stated the report: ‘In essence, Rickaton will pay the sum of €3 million over the next four years for the land, totalling almost five acres, in the Blackhall and Lynnbury area. In addition, the council will benefit to the tune of at least €1.1m over the next 10 years in a somewhat complicated deal involving car parking spaces.”

Journalist Linda O’Reilly explained in the story that the price worked out at approximately €4.1m in total, a figure that equated to an average of €820,000 per acre.

“However,” she wrote, “last December, O’Callaghan’s Outdoor Pursuits on a fifth of an acre sold for €1.65m or a record €8.25m per acre. As far back as November 2002, Corroon’s Sawmill on two acres with full planning permission for 60 residential units made over €3m or over €1.5m per acre.”

In the second story relating to Blackhall, the Westmeath Examiner reported that the decentralised Department of Education headquarters were likely to form part of the redevelopment of Blackhall.

Westmeath Examiner, October 11. 2014

Not fair!

Mullingar area councillors reacted with fury to a spending plan unveiled at that week’s county council that, they said, favoured Athlone and treated Mullingar as “the poor relation”.

The plan proposed an allocation of €130,000 for festivals in Athlone, but just €30,000 in Mullingar; €30,000 towards Christmas lights in Athlone but just €18,000 for Mullingar, and expenditure of €55,500 on an arts development plan in Athlone and just €37,000 in Mullingar.

The Mullingar members claimed that of that year’s municipal authorities funding, 51 per cent was earmarked for the Mullingar district and 49 percent for Athlone – even though Mullingar constituted 74 per cent of the county area, had 65 per cent of the population; 70 per cent of the roads and 63 per cent of the houses.