Pages from the Past

The Westmeath Independent was founded in 1846 in the midst of the Famine. And in its early years, it regularly reported on the condition of the potato crop. Here's a piece from November, 1861. "I am in a position to state that the failure of the potato crop, the deficiency of harvest generally, and above all the want of fuel, are of sufficient extent to justify the prevalent opinion that this winter will be one of severe distress and privation to the poorer classes. Famine, such as the appalling visitation of 1847, is not to be apprehended; but between that extreme point and the ordinary conditions of the small farmers and peasantry of the west of Ireland there are many degrees of misery through which a large number of the people of this province are, I fear, destined to pass." The report said that in the towns of Athlone and Ballinasloe there was no distress of any considerable extent. However, it said that in the southern district of the barony of Athlone, the failure of the potato crop was "universal in the low undrained lands and in reclaimed bogs". "In such soils the tubers appear to have ceased growing in an early stage, so that the potatoes that are now untainted with disease are of little value as food; they never attained the usual size or ripened. However, "the accounts from one or two places are not so unfavourable". "For example, I was informed that in the parish of Kiltoom, about five miles from Athlone where the soil is of a gravelly character, the potatoes are good and not much affected by the disease. This, however, is an exceptional case." 100 YEARS AGO 1911 Over 500 sane people detained in Mullingar asylum The famous case of Athlone woman Hanna Greally who was detained in psychiatric institutions against her will has been featured on television programmes on Ireland's mental health system recently. But back in 1911, the Westmeath Independent was also drawing attention to the requirement to find ways to release people from psychiatric institutions who no longer needed to be there. In an editorial in the issue of November 18, 1911, the paper said: "It is sad to notice the outcry by the asylum authorities for increased accommodation. It suggests an ugly continuance amount us of mental disease and a steady rise in the number of the afflicted. The discussions of this subject at the Mullingar Board of Governors put a new and much better complexion on the reason for the extra accommodation demanded. In Ireland patients who are perfectly safe cannot be board-out. In Scotland, and in England, in fact, all over the world, they can. In Mullingar Asylum alone there are, according to the Medical Department, no less than 500 inmates who it would be perfectly safe to board out, inmates who are perfectly sane and harmless. If these were got rid of in this fashion there would be no account to spend thousands of pounds on additional buildings. The proposal, on the face of it, seems a very reasonable one but it cannot, it appears, be carried into effect until the law regulating the care and detention of lunatics in Ireland is altered. The sooner the alternation the better. For the sake of the inmates especially it would be better that they should be boarded out than interned in an institution like an asylum. 50 YEARS AGO 1961 The Franciscan who helped to free Athlone's Easter Rising detainees The Westmeath Independent reported that the death which had occurred in England of the Rev Father Fidelis Griffin, OFM, would be learned with great regret by older generations of Athlonians who would recall when he was Guardian at St Anthony's from 1914 to 1919. The late Fr Fidelis revisited Athlone on several occasions and displayed prodigious memories of the Athlone of 1914-1919 and it was obvious from his detailed accounts of the local happenings and personages of those years that Athlone had remained evergreen in his memory during the long intervening span, which included 25 years spent in Australia, the paper added. "Athlone owes a debt of gratitude to Fr Fidlesis for the outstanding part he played in the acquisition of land and the raising of funds for the replacement of the old Friary Church by the Church of St Anthony's as it now stands ass a beautiful moment to the Four Masters." The paper also reported the role of Fr Fidelis in ensuring the freedom of interned prisoners after the Easter Rising. Following the Easter Week rebellion, six men from Athlone were taken into custody and brought to Dublin and later interned in England, the paper said. "With the late Thomas Chapman, proprietor of Athlone Printing Works, he drove up to Dublin, where they interviewed General Maxwell who was commanding the British Forces and pressed for their release. When they pointed out that they had been arrested and were deported without any charge made against them. General Maxwell argued that the men were Sinn Feiners and that was sufficient grounds for their custody. However, they won him over to their point of view and the men were subsequently released. Street cleaners and maintenance staff on a month's strike The strike by Athlone Urban Council's street cleaning and maintenance staff ended on Saturday and the men returned to work on Monday morning (October 30), the Westmeath Independent reported on November 4, 1961. "They had been on strike since September 30 in furtherance of a claim for an additional £1 per week on their present wages of £7-7-4 (after deductions, £6-16-10). for a 48-hour week. The Labour Court investigated the dispute on October 17 and issued their recommendations on Saturday last, the paper said. "They recommended an increase of 10s a week a to be reviewed in light of the increases granted by good employers locally when such information becomes available. The increase, initially made retrospective to August 1, is also subject to review. "A meeting of the men who are members of the ITGWU decided to accept the offer. On their return to work they were faced with an accumulation of work in street cleaning and the emptying of over-flowing domestic refuse bins." 25 YEARS AGO 1986 Who'll be Athlone's Mr Wonderful? There was a significant interest in the Athlone Mr Wonderful contest held in December 1986, the Westmeath Independent reported in the build up to the event. An article in the paper of November 14, 1986, said that actress Biddy White Lennon was to compere the final to be held in the Jolly Mariner. The event was being held to raise funds for the Portiuncula Intensive Baby Care Trust "So far there has been great interest in the contest and certainly the men of all age groups through their sporting endeavours are helping to raise funds for your worthy project," said Cieran Temple, chairman of the trust. The Athlone Garda and Social Club was to be represented by Michael McGrath, Bonavalley, a well-known Athlone Musical Society member. The Moore family in Drum had nominated Willie John for the contest, while Sumemrill College teacher Carl Smith also agreed to go forward representing the schcool. Dick Ross, manager of Dunnes Stores in AThlone was also nominated as was a Clonakilty native Cormac O'Regan who also worked with Dunnes Stores Other contestants were Joe Macken (Rehab), Pter CAsey (Ginkels), Andy Sweeeney (Lund International), Shane McLoughlin (Bellamys) and Michael Dooley (Athlone Regional College Ladies Soccer Team).