Gleanings of news from The Guardian 100 years and 60 years ago - February 1924 and February 1964

NEWS FROM FEBRUARY 16 1924

TERRYGLASS PUB CASE

At Borrisokane Court, Anne McGovern, publican, Terryglass, was summoned for a breach of licensing regulations, and Anthony Fox was summoned for being on the premises.

Supt. O’ Connor, Civic Guard, Nenagh, prosecuted. Sergeant O’ Shea, Coolbawn, stated he was on duty on Saturday night December 1, and he found McGovern’s shop open at 9.25pm. He went to the front door and found Anthony Fox, of Clougheen, drinking inside the shop. The lights were on and Mrs McGovern said she missed the time. Her clock was at 25 to 10 o’c.

Defendant made a statement that it was only five minutes to nine o’clock when the Guard came in. The only place she could get the correct time was from the postmen or the post office. Her assistant brought the Guards to the P.O. that evening to see the time. The Guard’s time was fast compared to the post office.

The assistant of Mrs McGovern’s shop said he was in charge that night and it was five to nine when the Guards entered. Witness said he got the time from the P.O. earlier in the day. He had it also from the mail car driver who kept both the P.O. and railway time. Witness had two clocks in the shop. One would not go and the other went too fast, and he relied on a watch he kept in his pocket. One of the guards who called at the premises had a watch and the other had none, so they all adjourned to the P.O. to settle the time question as none of the clocks or watches agreed (laughter).

The charge was withdrawn and the case dismissed after it was submitted that all the clocks in Terryglass were at variance on the evening in question.

BALLINDERRY PUBLICAN'S CASE

Superintendent O’ Connor, Nenagh, summoned John Tierney, publican, Ballinderry, to Borrisokane Court in respect of a breach of the licensing regulations on Saturday December 1, 1923, at 10pm. Martin Dwyer and Thomas Dwyer, Newlawn, Ballinderry, were summoned for being on the premises. Mr A. C. Houlihan defended.

Sergt. O’ Shea said when he knocked on the door of the pub at the hour stated he heard noises as if the shop was being cleared. Guard Cahill went to the back of the house and found the back door open, and the two Dwyers were in the shop. They were not drinking and the excuse they made was that they came in for whiskey for their sick brother. The publican admitted that he had supplied a half-pint of whiskey to them. There were stains of porter on the counter.

Superintendent O’ Connor: “I suppose it took two of them to carry the half pint of whiskey?”

Defendant: “They got no drink from me.”

Martin Dwyer stated that he was returning from the pictures in Ballinderry that night, and met his brother, who told him that their brother was bad with asthma, and they could get whiskey for him. They had just got the whiskey when the Guards came. They had no drink in the house.

Superintendent O’ Connor said he was satisfied with the evidence that there was no drink sold. The charges were dismissed.

ACCIDENT NEAR BORRISOKANE

A FEW days ago while a young girl named Annie Ryan, of Ardcroney, was seated on a side car, after which was walking a young horse led by a reins, which was twisted around her left wrist, the animal shied at some flying papers, with the result that she was dragged from her position on the car and her hand almost pulled from her arm. Were it not for the timely arrival of a man on the scene she would have been killed. She was at once conveyed to Dr Quigley, Borrisokane, who attended to the injured girl, who suffered intense pain. We are glad to learn she is progressing favourably.

NENAGH WATER SUPPLY

Some weeks ago we commented upon the unsatisfactory state of the water supply to the town of Nenagh. The purport of our remarks was misunderstood by some members of the Urban Council, but we hope and believe that it is now generally accepted that we wrote in no unfriendly spirit and that our sole object was to endeavour to have an end made of a state of things which we described as a public scandal.

We now revert to the matter, and in doing so we wish to make it clear that we by no means attribute to the existing Urban Council responsibility for the defects which for years have made Nenagh Waterworks a stock subject for ridicule. These defects grow worse year by year; they have now become intolerable, and we express the public desire when we say that if it be within the bounds of possibility the present Council ought to take steps to end them once and for all.

NEWS FROM FEBRUARY 15 1964

COMEDY IN BIRR

The Boher Dramatic Class will stage a two-act comedy, ‘Keane Wasn’t Able’, by E. P. Hughes, at the Parochial Hall, Ballinahinch, on Sunday night next. A variety concert will follow and should be very enjoyable when one sees such talented artistes as the Walsh Sisters, on their piano accordions; the Shanahan Bros., (instrumentals) Bonnie Whelan (accordion); Connie Collins and John J. Prior (singers) and a group of step dancers from Nenagh who have graced many a stage.

NENAGH PLAY ON TOUR

Following the record-breaking success of their local premiere, ‘Where the Luck Goes’, the Nenagh Players have decided to take the play on a short tour. They have toured plays before, but never one with such a large cast.

However, the Players are confident that the play on tour should meet with the same success as it had in the Town Hall, Nenagh. They are to stage the play in the Marian Hall in Birr for two nights.

John B. Keane, writing in the colour supplement of the Sunday Independent, under the title ‘Aid from the Amateurs’, had this to say about the play: “At the time of writing, a musical play entitled ‘Where the Luck Goes’ enters its fourth week in Nenagh, a town with a population of 5,000 people. Hardly possible, one should think, but the fact remains that this home-made play, written by local solicitor David Hodgins, is making theatrical history.”