Pages from the Past

From the back issues of the Westmeath Independent 1861 - 150 YEARS AGO Collapse of the race stand at Galway The Westmeath Independent of August 31, 1861, quoted the Galway Vindicator newspaper thus: "So clumsily was the stand erected at Bushfield that it came down on Monday with little pressure. Providentially no lives were lost. Had the stand been crowned then there is no doubt that we would now be chronically in the loss of the lives of some of the most useful of society. As it is, one young man, son of a most respectable, a fellow townsman had his leg broken. Several gentlemen suffered contusions and slight injuries but except the young man alluded to no serious mishaps occurred. We would ask the conductors of our public sports will this be a warning to them to see in future that those stands are erected in so substantial a manner as not to endanger life or limb by using them. We believe the stewards are generally too confiding - that they do not send a competent person to inspect the work when it cons completed and hence the bungling of the persons employed to erect these stands. 1911 100 YEARS AGO Magnetic specialist promises cure to all ailment The paper's columns included a lengthy advertisement for the visit of Alexander Binnie, described as a magnetic specialist with Wetton & Co. Dublin. It was Binnie's second week on visit to Athlone and the advertisement promised "constant daily attendance" at his private rooms at Mr. Nyhan's 30 Mardyke Street, Athlone. Wetton and Co were described as "inventors, patentees and sole manufacturers of their world-famed curative magnetic appliances" The ad said he was "at present in Athlone so that sufferers may be able to consult him personally and obtain the appliances most suited for the cure of their symptoms". Appliances such as curative magnetic belts were available for the cure of a lengthy list of ailments outlined in the ad: "indigestion, constipation, nervousness, neuralgia, spine disease, bronchitis, asthma, sluggish liver, biliousness, dyspepsia, general debility, stiffness in joints, heart palpitations, consumption, epilepsy, paralysis, rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica, gout, bad kidneys, hysteria and troubles common to women". "If you are suffering from shattered nerves, impaired vitality, varicocele, and other symptoms arising there from, why should you suffer when you can get your system restored to full strength and vigour and feel as if you were a new being. Magnetic treatment is natural and simple sending currents of life and health through every organ and function of the body." Mack "the corner boy" ends up in court Joseph McNamee, better known by the abbreviation 'Mack' was charged with being drunk and disorderly. The offence took place in King Street and Constable Hopkins told the Bench that Mack had become a great nuisance to passerbys and shop keepers. "He went around the streets, dressed up sometimes as a jockey and more times as a soldier and when people refused to have him drink he proved a great nuisance." "He is an undesirable corner boy" The Sergeant Shea explained: "He goes around doing the candy man and all the prime boys dress him up in all sorts of comical attire." The defendant was imprisoned in Tullamore jail for two weeks. 1961 50 YEARS AGO Show moves to local GAA grounds Athlone Show was moving from its usual location in the vicinity of the Fair Green to Athlone GAA Grounds at Pairc Chiarain, the Westmeath Independent revealed in August 1961, The paper said the move had been dictated by the fact the Fair Green location was not a suitable venue for the horse jumping events. The date of the show was set for September 14. Attempted break in at Glasson post office "An attempt to break and enter the post office at Glasson last week was foiled by the prompt action of Miss Brigid Finneran, the post mistress, the Westmeath Independent said, in late August 1961. "Miss Finneran, who had retired, heard a noise shortly after midnight, at the front of the post office, which is a bungalow building on the Longford side of the village of Glasson. She hurried to investigate and saw a man at the front window. She went to the phone immediately to call up the Garda Station and in the meantime the man took fright and disappeared. Later it was discovered, that a portion of the window frame had been chiselled with the intention of releasing a safety catch which the would-be intruder apparently thought secured the window. The window was not of the safety catch type and a mark on the window frame indicated that he had then used some instrument in an attempt to remove the glass. 1986 25 YEARS AGO Facelift starts on old Foresters building Work on giving a long overdue facelift to the fine Georgian facade of the Old Bridge of Athlone branch of the Irish National Foresters' Benefit Society headquarters at Fry Lane began last week, the Westmeath Independent reported in mid-August 1986 "The Foresters have been raising funds for the work over the past three years and now thanks to the timely intervention of AnCO in the shape of a youth employment experience scheme, the work can begin. The article said the Fry Place premises was built in 1770 by a local merchant after whom the area is named and for many years it was used as a general store by W. Doyle and Co. Ltd. Athlone Branch of the Foresters which was founded in 1902, took possession of the Fry Place building in 1922. The organisation was founded in 1877 with the intention of helping all Irishmen in distress wherever they lived. The paper said the Foresters in Athlone had succeeded in raising just over £1,800 towards the cost of renovating and restoring the Georgian facade, one of the finest example of its type still in existence. However, the eventual cost is likely to far outstrip this amount so funds are still required." Local artist's work to hang in New York The Westmeath Independent reported that the work of a local artist was to hang on the wall of the New York office of the Bank of Ireland. Lorraine Francis, a native of Court Devenish, obtained her commission after a visit to Athlone saw here work on exhibition at a local art gallery. The paper said Lorraine, during her secondary school days at the Bower National School was encouraged in her artistic work by her teacher Sr. Dympna, a well-known artist in her own right.