Pages From The Past...

1859 150 Years Ago Land dispute ends in jail 150 years ago, the midlands was the scene of regular attacks on farmers and large estate owners as disputes over land and tenancies erupted. They were particularly intense in the 1850s and 60s when agricultural crises ensured deeper arrears of rents and more evictions. In late August 1859, two men from Kilbeggan, Patrick Neil and Laurence Gavin, were brought up in custody to the Petty Sessions Court held in Kilbeggan charged with having waylaid and attacked with bludgeons two farmers named Andrew and James Cunningham. The victims appeared in court and gave evidence that they had been attending the fair in Kilbeggan and had left the town for their homes in Moycashel. They were about a quarter of a mile from home when the prisoners, armed with heavy bludgeons, overtook them, knocked them down and commenced to beat them in so savage a manner that they believed they would have been murdered but for the fortunate arrival of the police. Worldwide news Local newspapers in the 19th century were often the main source of national and indeed, international, news to And the Westmeath Independent was no different as its columns carried a wide variety of stories from far and wide as the following brief selection from August 27th, 1859, illustrates: "A physician in Louisville has discovered that by living principally on buttermilk, a human being may prolong their existence to the period of two hundred years." "During the late dry weather, a farmer named Walsh of Ballintaggart, on Lord Desart's estate near Callan had a colt seven weeks without taking water. There was no possibility of the animal getting water to drink on the field where it was kept, nor did the owner ever supply it with any; yet, strange to say, tts condition seemed in no way affected." "It is universally believed in Achill, and not without reason, that Louis Napoleon before his elevation to the imperial throne, visited the missionary settlement on the island in the course of a tour along the west coast." 1909 100 Years Ago Inter-county game ends in "wrangle" and "angry bickering" The Croke Cup was a short-lived inter-county Gaelic Games competition held in the late 19th century and early 20th century. In 1909, Athlone had the distinction of hosting a football and hurling semi-final of the competition at a field in Blyry. The semi-finals took place on Sunday, August 29th, 1909, and according to the Westmeath Independent, 10,000 spectators arrived to witness the clashes between Laois and Galway in hurling and Mayo and Kildare in football. "Most of them were, of course, visitors, interested in the fortunes, of one or other of the teams. Still the local attendenancce was very large and enthusiastic." The attendance sparked comment according to the Westmeath Independent as to why "Gaelic Games do not possess a more enduring hold locally". The paper ventured that one reason was the absence of a proper enclosed venue locally. "A well laid-out sports field in the vicinity of Athlone would certainly be a paying investment," the paper said. On the field Galway beat Laois by 1-18 to 0-6 in the hurling. However, the football match was "more a battle than a game and it was full of angry bickering". So much so that "the match was eventually terminated by a wrangle; the Kildare men taking umbrage at something or other and walking off the field". 1959 50 Years Ago Weeds the spoilsport for Shannon Swim River weeds forced the cancellation of popular local event, The Shannon Mile Swim this week 50 years ago, the annals of the Westmeath Independent reveal. The decision was taken by Gentex Swimming Club after a report from the Amateur Swimming Association condemned a portion of the river as completely "impassible to swimmers". During their inspection of the stretch the report states the officials were "disquieted with what they saw and later reported to the local committee that it would be dangerous to carry out the swim". The annual event, which draws competitors from all over Ireland was abandoned as was the yearly gala as a result. "The representatives of ASA were amazed at the condition of the river and expressed the view that such conditions would not be permitted in any other town in Ireland. They hoped that those responsible would have the weeds cut so that next year's event can take place," the report concludes. Local firm wins World Fair trophy Athlone Woollen Mills had the distinction five decades ago of winning the Grand Prix for a collective exhibition of cloth at the 1958 World Fair in Brussels. "The products of the Athlone Mills were selected from thousands of entries which shows that for quality, style and colour, Athlone cloths could not only compete with, but outclass the best in the world market. The Athlone entry was included in thousands from parts of Britain and Ireland sent first to the National Wool Textile Corporation of Bradford and then in turn chosen for Brussels," the piece states. The Athlone exhibit is proof, the paper opines, that the firm are "steadily regaining their reputation and position on the world market, interrupted by the disastrous fire of 1940 when they were completely out of production".