A matter of record - The Donegal Democrat down the years

From the early days of the Free State when Donegal including its GAA team was referred to as Tirconail (not even the double ‘L’) at the big match in Letterkenny, a postcard issued with an alleged threat to kill a farmer, how to deal with defaced political posters in Bundoran, the scarcity of salmon on the Erne, the seagulls eating the young elvers and the carpenters go back to work on the new Gweebarra Bridge, presumably with most of the three pence an hour that they had gone out on strike for, in the first instance, opens another chapter in the paragraphs of past Democrat, with Michael McHugh from the vaults.

100 years ago, Donegal Democrat, June 22, 1923

Tirconail v Derry

The above fixture was carried out before a very large crowd at Letterkenny on Sunday last. A great deal of speculation as to the result was the general topic throughout Derry and Tirconail for some time previous.

Tirconail, on this occasion was determined to wipe out past defeats and open a new leaf, and, with this in view had fielded a strong team.

Special trains from Derry, Buncrana and Burtonport on the Letterkenny and Lough Swilly Railway brought large numbers.

So large was the number on the Burtonport train that two engines were unable to bring the train through ‘the Gap’ and the train had to be divided. This caused a serious delay for the remaining passengers, consequently the match did not start at the advertised time, as a railway official requested a delay to enable those in the train to be present.

Hundreds of motors of every class lined the entire Main St. on both sides.

Donegal in the end lost by a point having been three points up at the interval.

The report said that Gallagher, Hannigan, Black, Mulvihill and Molloy were the outstanding players on the Tirconaill team.

Tirconail team: Black, Mulvihill, Gallagher, Hannigan, McMahon, Ahearne, Howley, Armour, W. Curran, Haydon, Maxwell, C. Gallagher, Molloy, C.Breslin, Craig.

90 years ago, Donegal Democrat, June 24, 1933

Alleged Threatening

Informations Refused Against Donegal Farmer

A Glencolmcille farmer* appeared on remand before Justice O’Hanrahan at Killybegs District Court on Friday to answer a charge against him of having sent to another farmer*, Glencolmcille a postcard threatening to kill or murder him, or to do him bodily harm.

Mr W.T. McMenamin, State Solicitor, who appeared to prosecute, said Capt Quirke, was at Cork Circuit, and could not be there that day.

Capt Ramage, solicitor for defendant said that the second adjournment was due to the fact that the prosecution was not able to even make a prima facie case against defendant and he was going to press very strongly against a further adjournment.

The Justice asked if he could get no evidence other than the evidence of Capt Quirke. Defendant was arrested and brought to Carrick Court and remanded to Killybegs, It was not good enough he thought in the circumstances. The first imitation the State Solicitor got and Supt Heron got, and the solicitor for the defence got, was when they had assembled in Court, was a telegram that Cat Quirke could not be there. He would not stand for that cavalier treatment of a prisoner. And he was prepared to refuse information unless some evidence was given to him to return the defendant for trial.

Mr McMenamin said that he would like to interview the witnesses he intended to produce, and the Justice said he could certainly do that, and allowed the case to stand over.

Subsequently Mr McMenamin returned to court and informed the justice that he saw no evidence to proceed with the charge in the absence of the evidence of Capt. Quirke.

The Justice refused informations, and added that the State could rearrest the defendant if they liked.

80 year ago Donegal Democrat June 19, 1943

Bundoran Fianna Fail Cumann

A meeting of the above cumann was held in St Patrick’s Hall on Sunday last. Mr Peter Finaly (chairman) presided. Canvassers in connection with the General Election were chosen and Personating Agents and sub agents for the polling stations were also appointed.

Attention was drawn to the defacement of the Fianna Fail slogans on the Main St. of Bundoran and same was discussed.

The action of the hooligans concerned was condemned and some members suggested that as the defacement was an eyesore to the public, that the whole lettering of the slogans be obliterated.

After discussion of the matter it was proposed to leave the lettering stand so that as many people as possible could see the act of hooliganism and judge for themselves.

This was unanimously agreed the best course to adopt

It was reiterated by the members of the cumann that supporters of the Fianna Fail party, no matter what the provocation, were not to integers with the slogans or other political parties. Fianna Fail was out to win on merit.

70 years ago Donegal Democrat June 19, 1953

Salmon Scarcity forecast by Department

The outlook for the salmon fishing industry is far from bright judging from a letter received by Ballyshannon Fishery Board from the Department. The letter stated that it was thought that salmon would become very scarce in the Erne estuary and asked that larger hatcheries be erected at Cliff and Cathaleen’s Falls power station.

The poor season on the Erne this year was mentioned by Inspector J. Deacon, who added that generally the salmon season had been bad to date, though at the end of the season the Bunduff river had been fairly good and the Bundrowes had been comparatively good.

It was disclosed that the run of salmon up the River Erne had been restricted by the state of the water below Enniskillen resulting from the disturbance of mud and silt caused by the Erne drainage scheme operations.

No doubt there are a few recognisable faces in this St Mary's National School photo of a trip

The fish were keeping down where the water was cleaner.

Seagulls destroying elvers - When the destruction of elvers by sea-gulls was mentioned the clerk stated that nothing could be done as the sea-gulls were protected from March 1st to July 31st.

The chairman, Major J.S. Myles said he did not see what sea-gulls would be protected at a time when they caused so much damage by eating the elvers.

Glenties - Work is proceeding rapidly on the construction of the Gweebarra bridge. A settlement has been reached in the three weeks’ strike of carpenters employed on the scheme.

An increase of three pence per hour was demanded by the ten workers involved in the strike.

There was a good supply of stock on offer at the monthly fair on Friday. Competition was extremely keen especially in the case of young cattle.

Ewes and wethers were aso keenly sought. A good clearance was affected. The prices maintained were the highest recorded at a June fair in the town.

Carrick get W.O.

Carrick had a bloodless victory at Towney park, Kilcar when their opponents Killybegs failed to field a team. On Saturday evening the Killybegs club forwarded a telegram regretting their inability to travel. Carrick took the field and provided spectators with some measure of compensation by playing a seven-a-side game.

In the presence of a crowd estimated between 40,000 and 60,000 his Eminence Cardinal D’alton opened Belfast’s new £70,000 GAA stadium, Roger Casement park on Sunday.

*Court case names are generally not repeated in this column