A matter of Record - The Donegal Democrat down the years

In our third instalment of looking back down the years, Michael McHugh again looks at the tapestry of life that made up the pages of the Donegal Democrat newspaper down the years:

His quest to recall some stories of interest, maybe the big story, but oftentimes that little nugget that captures the state of the nation, much like a photograph!

We begin this week's stories with a theme very familiar to those of us in Donegal over the past century - the border.

100 years ago - Donegal Democrat, May 18, 1923

Piers at Moville - Controlled by Derry Board

The Tirconaill County Council on Tuesday discussed the question of wharf and pier accommodation in the county in connection with customs regulations.

Mr Michael Bonner said that the impression seemed to have got abroad that at the last meeting he stated that only one of the piers at Moville was in the control of the Derry Harbour Trust.

One of the piers was a stone pier built by the Board of Works. The custom at that time was that when the Board of Works built the piers, they, by printed warrant, handed them over to the Grand Jury.

There appeared to be no record dealing with the Moville Pier but they knew it was once under the control of the old Grand Jury and whilst he could not give definite information to what conditions on which it was handed over to the Derry Harbour Trust, he understood t was merely handed over to them to maintain and as it is a very substantial structure the question of maintenance was a small matter.

This pier would be a very valuable asset if they could reassert the authority of the people to regain control of it. It was in Free State territory and should be within the control of the county council; but if they went to make provisions in connection with the Customs at the Derry Harbour Board would say "hands off our property."

Mr Clarke – If they have no right to the one, they have no right to the other, because it is also in the Free State.

Mr Bonner said it was the very essence of the Treaty that the Government of the Free State protected all vested interests. Just as a landlord living in England was entitled to have property in this country protected, so the Derry Harnur Board were entitled to have the wooden wharf protected, but the position in regard to the stone pier was different, because it was once the property of the ratepayers of County Donegal.

Flood's of Donegal advertising their new Ford cars back in May 1923

He proposed that the secretary be instructed to write to the Derry Harbour Trust pointing out that the Inland Revenue Authorities have asked the County Council to make provisions for the enforcement of the customs regulations at Moville, and asking the Trust what legal right they had to hold this stone pier.

Mr Clarke seconded the motion which he passed.

90 years ago - Donegal Democrat, May 18, 1933

Steamers into Ballyshannon

The enterprising local merchants who are bringing goods per steamer into Ballyshannon harbour deserve great credit, and many other local merchants might well follow their example. The bogey of the unsafety of the Bar has been blown to atoms.

Only quite recently a steamer crossed over the bar in the very roughest of weather, - a thing which would not under any circumstances be attempted some years since.

The work would mean bread for our local stevedores. Shipping made Sligo.

Ballyshannon harbour also had possibilities. There are factories for Dundalk, Drogheda and everywhere, - only Ballyshannon. Why?

Killybegs News

The Lowestoft steam drifter “Harnser” arrived on Friday with 32 crans of herring. On Monday the “Girl Gladys” landed 25 crans which were sold for curing for 32s per cran. The “Harnser” and “Primevere” landed ten and six crans respectively on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the Most Rev. Dr. McFeely, Lord Bishop of Raphoe administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to over 100 children in St Mary's Church Killybegs.

His Lordship addressed the congregation and warned all, especially the young, against the grave dangers of Communism, the present day menace to Christianity.

John Gallen from Donegal was offering a pricier Chevrolet car also in May of 1923

80 years ago - Donegal Democrat - May 15 & 22, 1943

APPALLING DONEGAL DISASTER - Drifting Mine Explosion Kills Eighteen People - Tragic scenes in Gaeltacht Fishing village

A disaster without parallel in the history of Donegal has brought death and sorrow to many homes in the West Donegal Gaeltacht where at Ballymanus, Annagry, a small fishing village, fifteen miles from Gweedore, eighteen lives, mostly those of boys in their teens, were lost as the result of a drifting mine exploded on the coast. Five others were gravely injured.

Nothing remotely comparable to the appalling tragedy has stricken the Annagry area in living memory.

The explosion occurred about ten o’clock on Monday morning some hours after the mine had been observed floating towards the beach at Ballymanus from the direction of Gola Sound . . . the explosion was heard for forty miles around, east at Letterkenny, north at Rosapenna, south at Killybegs. Forty homes above the ill-fated strand at Ballymanus are damaged by the concussion.

In the following edition (Donegal Democrat May 22, 1943) of the paper it reported that a 19th victim lost his life as a result of the explosion, at Letterkenny Hospital - 15 year old Anthony Sharkey.

“Since the disaster the Rosary is being recited nightly in the Mullaghduff Hall. Local people gather nightly at dusk and offer prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims. Many more relatives arrived from Scotland over the week-end.

All public entertainments in the Rosses have meantime been cancelled.”

Car adverts were a big thing back in May 2023 as yet another advert shows

70 years ago - Donegal Democrat - May 2 1953

Glenties - Bord na Mona at Kilraine, recently employed several extra workers

And vacancies still exist on the scheme. Efforts to recruit labour from the local branch employment offices have proved unsatisfactory, through workers employed by the Board average weekly earnings of £7.

Dungloe - Joiners engaged on the Gweebarra Bridge contract went on strike for increased pay on Saturday last and failing early settlement of the dispute it may not be possible to have the bridge completed with the expected time.

Frossses - It is understood that a village development committee is to be formed here shortly.

Large quantities of bog ore are being lifted in Meenagran and Alteor by a Belfast firm.

Pettigo - A cow owned by Mr Jim Stephens was killed by lightning on Friday evening, at Loughultan.

On Thursday British customs officials seized a quantity of artificial manures and a bicycle at the Tieveameenta-Grouse-lodge border.

The officials chased a young man, who abandoned the cycle for several miles into the mountains, where they lost trace of him.