Pages from the Past

150 YEARS AGO 1862 Graveyard shortage a threat to public health The issue of unsuitable graveyards was a hot topic in mid 19th century Athlone and subject of many articles in the Westmeath Independent. A letter writer, signing himself or herself, Sanitas, raised the issue once again in mid March 1862. Noting that Athlone appeared to be "blessed with a pure atmosphere, good drainage and in general, freedom from disease", he said the resident had no right to thank the Poor Law Guardians and Town Commissions for this blessing. "For both bodies have done as much, as in them lay, towards bringing to an untimely grave, vast numbers of the inhabitants of this town." Of course, at a time of serious public diseases, such as typhoid, improper burials were often a cause of contagion so Sanitas's fears were real. Stating that the need for more graveyard space in the town was unarguable, the letter writer said: "Yet there may be some found who will deny the need of any such place at all, to such I would say, go and walk around the burial ground commonly called the Abbey, witness the bodies of the dead heaped one upon another (witness I have said for although the bodes are not visible, the fruits of overcrowding are plainly to be seen) and then come and tell me there is no need for a burial ground." 100 YEARS AGO 1912 When traffic accidents were a novelty Road traffic accidents 100 years ago were a novelty, so much so that the Westmeath Independent published a blow by blow account of an accident at Farnagh near Moate. "An alarming motor accident, resulting fortunately, in no injury to life or limb, but in very serious damage to an expensive car, took place at Farnagh, a couple of miles from Moate, on Tuesday evening last. "The car is the property of Q Western Travelling Firm - Messrs Oran of Ballina, and was driven by one of the travellers who was the only occupant. "The car was driven at a good speed, and all went well until Farnagh Hill was reached. Then, all of a sudden, the steering gear broke. "For some yards, the car travelled along in a zig-zag fashion and the driver was in a terrible state of suspense for disaster seemed inevitable. Quickly as possible the engine was turned off, but by this time the car had gone over the grass margin, coming against the wall with terrific force. The driver had a miraculous escape. After the accident he said the wonder was the Intimidation of Protestants a "hideous distortion" Of course the hot topic in 1912 Ireland was Home Rule and the Westmeath Independent was a firm supporter of the concept. It's edition of March 2, 1912, was one of a litany of its type. "Last week we pointed out how grossly the Irish case was misrepresented in England by Unionist speakers and in Unionist literature. Playing upon the suspicions of Protestants across the water, no influence was left untried to impress upon them the religious dominance that would be set up in Ireland if Home Rule were conceded to this country. The English people were told that already life was being made unendurable for Protestants in Ireland and that was the real meaning of the opposition to Home Rule in Ulster. It was stated that Protestant farmers, shopkeepers, manufacturers, and trades people were living in a state of terror in Connaught and Munster, that they were boycotted, fired at and their businesses practically destroyed and that these lamentable doings were only the prelude to what would happen when Home Rule became a reality. A more hideous distortion of facts could not be imagined. From beginning to end these statements were simply a litany of misrepresentation. A Protestant, it needs to be repeated, is today no more popular or unpopular than a Catholic. Either a Protestant or a Catholic who makes himself objectionable as a landgrabber or something of that kind, is made to feel the popular resentment, not because he is religiously one thing or another, but simply because he is a landgrabber. During the hottest days of agrarian movement that was the position. With the settlement of the land question, boycotting in any form has disappeared. During any period of the political struggle a man was never victimised because of his religious hue. The proof of that is the successful business careers of our Protestant countrymen all over Ireland and in nowhere in greater proportion that in the Midlands and the West." 50 YEARS AGO 1962 Athlone reach Junior Cup final Athlone Town reached the Leinster Junior Cup final after defeating Killester United in the semi-final St Mel's Park on Sunday, March 11, 1962, the Westmeath Independent reporter. "There was a splendid attendance for the game which had everything associated with an important cup tie - thrills, spills and misses. "There was never a dull moment and even when United were two goals in arrears they never gave up trying to pull the game out of the fire. It was 0-0 at half time despite chances at both end. Earlier in the second half "the game took a sensational turn during a hot attack by Killester; McAllister sent a fierce drive towards the net, Kenna was at hand to head off the line and in subsequent play Sheils carried play to near the corner flag before sending over a perfect cross. J. Lowry connected and his header came back off the crossbar to T. Greene and without hesitation he crashed it to the back of the net for the opening score. "This rally got things moving and in a matter of minutes, Athlone were two up. In a combined movement between Tom Greene and the Lowry brothers, that carried play close to the goal, M. Lowry gave the Killester keeper no chance with a strong shot to put Athlone two up." 25 YEARS AGO 1987 National basketball champions Athlone ladies basketball team captured the National League Division Two title when they battled back from an eight-point deficit to defeat a very gallant Castledermot side by 61 points to 55, in a game which required extra time to decide the victors. Athlone entered the game knowing that they had to win by six points or more if they were to become the new League champions. The half time score was Athlone 27, Castledermot 35 and when the final whistle sounded the teams were level at 53 points each, at which point five extra minutes of play were played. The Athlone team and scorers were Sally Maderia (20), Catherine Shine (12), Kathleen McCarth (11), Francis Durkin (10), Clodagh O'Dowd (8), Marie McLoughlin, Catherine Cummins, Shirley Brennan, Yvonne Drummond and Mary Bohan. Feargal Quinn's Athlone links Retail giant Feargal Quinn has been in Athlone recently to film an excerpt for his Retail Therapy programme on RTE. And 25 years ago, the supermarket chief was in Athlone at a dinner of the Midlands Region of the Irish Management Institute. A report in the Westmeath Independent of early March 1987 revealed Feargal's wife Denise was Athlone born. Her father Comdt Ned Prendergast was stationed at Custume Barracks until 1954, the report said. "He was captain of Athlone Golf Club for two years during his time in Athlone. His wife, Grace, was Lady Captain for a term," the paper said. Denise was just a child when her family moved to Dublin in 1954. "I moved from 6th class in St Peter's Convent to third year in Mount Sackville," she recalled. "The nuns in St Peter's were great teachers," she said.