PAGES FROM THE PAST

150 YEARS AGO 1861 Public meeting on Athlone poverty and distress A public meeting was called in early December 1861 by Athlone Town Commissioners "to devise means to alleviate the distress apparent in the town and neighbourhood of Athlone from the want of fuel and food", the Westmeath Independent reported. "The attendance was not so large as might be expected, owing perhaps to the inclemency of the weather, but the liberality of those who were present, fully compensated for the paucity of numbers," the paper said. Taking the chair William Potts, Justice of the Peace, and chairman of the town commissioners, explained that the purpose of the meeting was "to devise some means of relieving their fellow townsmen from the wretchedness and distresses which a scarcity of fuel and food had brought upon them, and not only in this town, but in every other part of the country, where turf was the fuel of the people." Donations were made at the meeting from a host of dignitaries but the Rev. M O'Reilly argued that while Christian charity might do very well for a time, but when it was exhausted what were the people to do. He proposed that the meeting pass a motion calling on the government to open some public works and employ people. The local MP John Ennis said that private charity and relief from government were two distinct things and the object of the meeting was to devise means for the immediate relief by the purchase of fuel. 100 YEARS AGO 1911 Immoral English Sunday newspapers criticised The media is under scrutiny at present both in Ireland and in the UK, a trend symbolised by the closure of the Sunday newspaper, The News of the World last year. Back 100 years ago, the negative influence of the English Sunday newspapers was also making headlines in Athlone with the town hosting a public meeting "against immoral literature and English Sunday newspapers". The headline read: "Athlone unanimous to stop this traffic". The Westmeath Independent fully supported this crusade as this excerpt from that week's editorial comment indicated. "Good work was done in Athlone on Wednesday night when a splendid public meeting inaugurated the local crusade against the dissemination among us of indecent literature and morally unhealthy English Sunday newspapers." "What seems most needed to be guarded against as a source of contamination is the circulation of the English weekly newspapers, which find their way into the homes of the working classes. They are attractive to horse racing and gambling and some of them treat of politics from the extreme radical or socialistic point of view," the Westmeath argued. "The average English worker to whom Sunday is a day of recreation if not the Sabbath has one weakness a hankering after the prurient and the sensational elements of sexual filth if we may so describe it.," the paper said. The editorial also noted the focus on "the filthy details of the worst and most depraved cases in the divorce courts, supplemented by all that is vile churned up from the police courts". 50 YEARS AGO 1961 O'Malley is 1961's footballer of year Gerry O'Malley of Roscommon has been chosen as the Footballer of 1961 by the Association of Gaelic Sports Journalists in a country-wide ballot. The Roscommon captain just shaded Jim McCartan (Down) and the Mourne County captain Paddy Doherty for the premier award. The next three places in the ballot were filled by Greg Hughes (Offaly); Mick O'Connell (Kerry) and Jarlath Carey (Down). A native of Brideswell, Athlone, Gerry, who is an Agricultural Inspector in Co. Offaly, was born in 1927. He never represented Roscommon as a minor but was on the Junior team of 1946 and made his first appearance on the county senior team in October 1947. 25 YEARS AGO 1986 Death of Athlone soldier in Lebanon Saturday, December 6, marks the 25th anniversary of the death of an Athlone soldier in Lebanon. The Westmeath Independent reported in its edition of December 12, 1986: "Private William O'Brien (25) of Beechville, Athlone, who was shot dead while on duty in the Lebanon on Saturday, was buried with full military honours at Coosan Cemetery on Wednesday morning following Requiem Mass at St Mary's Church." The report said he was killed while on duty at a checkpoint near the village of Brashit, the headquarters of the 60th Infantry Battalion in South Lebanon. Fifth year Bower girls prepare Christmas show The fifth year girls of Our Lady's Bower were busy in December 1986 preparing for their Christmas show. The show was a special representation of 'The Glory of Christmas' by Jimmy and Carol Owens. The paper described the production as a "a modern American Cantata". The cast was Mary: Patricia Ashworth; Joseph: Rita Leonard; Gabriel: Annette O'Brien; Shepherds: Mairead Bartley, Evelyn Crehan, Clodagh Harris. Angels: Ashling Cadden, Carmel Lennon, Finola Reid; Kings: Miriam Flynn, Lisa Mahon, Ciara Masterson; Narrators: Cyndie Hewitt, Patrice McCarthy, Josephine Moran. Orchestra: Sharon Coen, Ann Egan, Avril Hannin, Maria Mahon, Maureen Marsden, Breda Quinn, Gemma Scouler.