Pages from the Past

150 YEARS AGO 1861 A circus advertisement that tells it like it is Last week, in this column, we cited the Westmeath Independent report on the visit of a magician, Signor Bosco, in September 1861. Conjurors, though, were not the only popular form of entertainment in the region 150 years ago as an advertisement in the edition of September 21, 1861, indicates: "Boorn's Great Australian Circus Company - This renowned Equestrian Troupe, famed for giving general satisfaction in every town, hamlet and village they appear in, will have the honour of giving two grand, superb and unapproachable Equestrian and Gymnastic representations in the following towns: Longford, Monday, September 23; Ballymahon, Tuesday, September 24 and Athlone, Wednesday, September 25. The public are most respectfully informed, that the Proprietor, as on former visits, will strain every effort to bring forth attractions of the most pleasing, graceful, extraordinary and novel nature in the Equestrian and Gymnastic department; and will not foolishly or dishonestly mislead the public by ideal bombast, outside show, or ridiculously exaggerated pictorial announcement, in which are generally set forth, in glowing characters, a supposed performance, the most absurd and nonsensical in the extreme. First performance each day at 2 o'clock. Second at 7 o'clock in the evening. Prices of admission. First class seats, 2s; Second do, 1s; third do, 6d. The managers and directors of private academies and schools are most respectfully informed that the juvenile members of these institutions will be admitted at half price to first and second class seats. Children generally under 12 years will also be admitted at half price." 100 YEARS AGO 1911 Fr Mathew Hall's role in Athlone The role of Fr Mathew Hall in Athlone of 100 years ago was clear from a number of small notices in the Athlone Notes of the Westmeath Independent of September 23, 1911. "Mr Percy French will give a humorous recital in the Father Mathew Hall on Monday evening. Mr French has a worldwide reputation as a humorist and a crowded house is anticipated. Tickets may be had at Miss Tighe's Mardyke Street. "The Quarter Session for the Athlone Divison of Roscommon will be opened on Wednesday next in the Father Matthew Hall by Judge Wakeley. "On Tuesday last, Mr O.J. Dolan conducted an extensive sale of furniture at the Father Mathew Hall. "Mr Harold Lloyd's company presented this interesting play "Passing of the Third Floor Back" in the Father Mathew on Friday night last by the well known author Jermoe K. Jermoe and was played by Mr Forbes Robertson, the eminent actor, over 2,000 times." 50 YEARS AGO 1961 Fine Gael to end compulsory Irish Fine Gael's proposals to end the requirement for compulsory Irish in secondary schools prompted controversy in recent years. Back 50 years ago, in September 1961, the country was in general election mode and Fine Gael were making new announcements in relation to the Irish language as the Westmeath Independent reported in its edition of September 16, 1961, The piece read: "Inducement, not compulsion, the Fine Gael policy for the restoration of the Irish language will reward success, not penalty for failure. This was stated by Mr. James Dillon, TD at a press conference on Wednesday at Leinster House, when he outlined the Fine Gael programme for the general election. The programme states that Irish will be taught to all children as an essential subject by the leaving certificate will be granted even if a student fails in Irish. Appointments to professional and technical positions in the public services no longer would be dependent on an Irish test, while the test required by statute for certain professional qualifications would be dropped under the Fine Gael programme. "The present methods have failed. Our policy will save the language," said Mr Doillon. Teachings of children in infant classes, through Irish, where Irish wasn't the home language, also would end, he said. The paper added that Dillon, leader of the Fine Gael party, would address at public meeting at the Market Square, Athlone, on Monday, September 18 at 8.30pm. Custume basketballers win national double The Westmeath Independent reported that the Roscommon basketball team composed entirely of soldiers stationed at Custume Barracks, defeated Kilkenny by 48 points to 38 in the National League Final and so brought off the All-Ireland Inter-County and National League double. "No player can be singled out as better than another on the Army team. Jimmy Murray, Paddy Sherrif, Christy Moran, Gary Roche and Denis Prendergast making up the first five played as a team and Lt Danny Flood, who was later brought on to replace Sherriff, fitted equally as well. The paper reported that the Custume Club were to play in a four-team competition in Dublin on October 22 to decide which team represents Ireland in the European Basketball Inter-Club Cup competition. 25 YEARS AGO 1986 25 years of Athlone Law Centre The Athlone Law Centre opened 25 years ago, in early September 1986. The report in the Westmeath Independent began: "If the pattern of work at the Athlone Law Centre follows the trend of the ten other centres throughout the country, the bulk of the cases is likely to be in the family law/matrimonial area, which includes proceedings involving Barring, Maintenance, Custody, Access, Family Home Protection Acts/Partition Acts, Judicial Separation and Nullity. The new Athlone centre opened officially by the Minister for Justice Alan Dukes in early September was staffed at the time by Phil Kealy, solicitor, who recently joined the board's staff having previously worked private practice in the town." The law centre was located on the upper floor of the Northern Bank building, the paper said. Prior to the opening of the centre, the Legal Aid Board served the area from Galway via a clinic located in the Dr Dobbs Memorial Home, the paper said. Three county titles in one weekend It was a successful weekend for local GAA clubs in the Athlone area in mid September 1986, the Westmeath reported Firstly, Athlone captured the Westmeath minor football championship with a good win over Brosna Gaels (Ballinagore - Tyrrellspass" The paper said their performance was spurred on by the example of their captain, David Prendergast. Athlone ran out winners by 3-11 to 0-3. The team was: John O'Donoghue, Keith Turley, John Brennan, David Kelly, Herbert Pyke, Dessie Scanlon, Oliver Keating, David Prendergast, Fergal O'Toole, Fintan Garavan, Brian St John, Rory Daly, Brian Murray, David Allen and Nigel Johnston, Subs: Kevin Larkin for Johnston, Lionan Carey for Allen, David Walsh for Garavan. And in Roscommon, Clann na Gael became Roscommon's football champions for the third year in succession when they defeated Elphin in front of a 2,000-strong crowd in Dr Hyde Park. The Clann team was M. Noone, J. Dowling, M. Keegan, J. McManus, O. McManus, F. Nicholson, A. McManus. E. McManus, P. McManus, K. Pettit, M. McManus, E. McManus Jr, T. Lennon, T. McManus and E. Durney. Subs. V. Harney for A. McManus, J. Connaughton for Durney, P. Naughton for M. McManus. And Southern Gaels added to the weekend of joy when they "scored a dramatic win over Raharney in extra time of the replayed final of the intermediate hurling championship at Castletown-Geoghegan on Sunday evening last" The report said: "Only a puck of the ball separated these well matched teams on the scoreboard throughout the ninety minutes of this absorbing struggle that provided wonderful drama and tension for excited spectators." The final score was 2-8 to 1-8. The Southern Gaels team was: B. Kehoe, E. Farrell, H. Costello, D. Doyle, M. Carey, J. Poland, J. McBride, P. Ryan (captain), B. Pyke, G. Brennan, B. Doyle, K. Jordan, D. Cronin, P. Clarke. Subs: P Burke (for Doyle); T. Keogh for Burke.