Published: Wednesday, 20th January, 2010 5:00pm

Pages from the Past

1860

Amputation fails to

save railway victim

Accidents, often fatal, were a regular occurrence on the railway lines around Athlone 150 years ago, both during their construction and whilst in operation.The Westmeath Independent reported in January 1860 on the death of a local man, Michael Lennon, who was struck by a train on January 18th, 1860.

According to the story, the accident was the result of incautiously walking on the railway and occurred within one hundred yards of the station.

Lennon's body was discovered on the line by railway worker Pat Harny who recognised him as a work colleague.

The victim was "quite insensible at the time and bleeding profusely from a wound on his cheek, which was partly torn away".

Lennon was brought to the workhouse hospital where a doctor amputated his right arm which was nearly severed from the shoulder.

However, Lennon died within an hour of his admission.

The paper said: "It is supposed that he was going home along the line and was overtaken and killed by the 7pm train to Galway."

Council re-elects man to

fill his own vacancy

Athlone Town Commissioners voted in January, 1860, to approve the selection of P. Murphy to fill a vacancy on the body.

However, it transpired the vacancy had been created by the disqualification of the same P. Murphy for failing to attend meetings. He had not been at a meeting in six months.

The proposal was slammed as "ridiculous" and "very absurd" by two councillors, however, others said Murphy had confirmed he would be able to attend in future.

1910

Fr Mathew Hall becomes

high-quality courthouse

Fr Mathew Hall witnessed another chapter in its unique history, when it became a temporary courthouse in 1910, the Westmeath Independent reported.

The paper stated that the hall represented a change for the better from the "cold, ill-ventilated and insanitary structure in King Street".

The report highlighted how the quality of Fr Mathew Hall drew attention to the absence of necessary accommodation at most standard courthouses.

In both the county courthouses of Mullingar and Roscommon, there was no public lavatory accommodation.

"There is no logical reason why a suitable public lavatory should not be erected in connection with every building which the public are compelled to frequent."

Not only did Fr Mathew Hall supply this facility, in 1910,there were luncheon services available underneath,.

"This room is capable of seating up to 80 persons at table at once and admirable luncheons are obtainable at very low rates."

The luncheon facilities were included in the hall as part of its temperance campaign and were designed to provide an alternative option to the drinking establishments

Fund established to

relieve starvation

A fund to help relieve starvation and want in Athlone was established following a public meeting in mid-January 1910.The meeting was called by the local urban council, following a letter published in the Westmeath Independent, outlining the extent of deprivation in parts of the town.A local club, St Patrick's League, was first to respond to the letter and agreed to run dramatic entertainment in the town to raise funds.At the public meeting, it was decided to seek subscriptions from the public to the fund.

Collectors were also appointed to call door to door to canvas donations. The original letter to the Westmeath Independent, although unsigned, came from a clergyman, who outlined some examples of the level of poverty he had encountered."A man came to me a few days ago who had not broken his fast for three days. I know him to be a total abstainer (from alcohol) and willing to work. He had no work, and thus he was starving. He is a married man, and consequently his poor wife is starving too. Only this evening I heard of a case of one with a family, too respectable to beg, and who is dying by inches from hunger and cold.

1960

Closing Athlone to

Mullingar rail-line would be

"irresponsible and foolish"

A rumour that the Athlone to Mullingar railway line was to be closed sparked an angry reaction from the National Association of Transport Employees in early 1960.

The Westmeath Independent reported that the statement condemned the suggestion in no uncertain terms. "It would be an act against our country's national survival," the organisation said."Why should it be necessary to divert goods and passenger traffic via Tullamore, Clara and Portarlington and close 30 miles of lines between Mullingar and Athlone?" it said, in a question that sadly remains as relevant in 2010 as it did in 1960.

A week later, the Minister for Transport and Power Erskine Childers said the rumour was without foundation.

The railway line eventually closed fully in 1987.

Public representatives

clash over expenses call

Expenses and allowances accruing to councillors and public representatives are a hot topic at present.

Surprisingly, a front page story 50 years ago this week, raised the same thorny subject. The report of proceedings at Westmeath VEC meeting revealed that the chairman of the body, Rev Fr W. Quinn had told colleagues he would be suggesting at the next meeting that no travelling expenses be paid to members for twelve months.

The views were made at the end of a discussion on the plight of small farmers, shopkeepers and others in Westmeath and their inability to bear any further burden on rates, which, 50 years ago, included wage increases to teachers in the vocational school system.

However, the chairman's comments did not meet with unanimous support, with a number of members expressing opposition.Frank Waters, an Athlone member, told the committee that as an Act of Parliament , it was not a matter for him or any other member.He said as he long as he continued to attend meetings he would seek expenses. "The chairman could do without them if he wished."