A Matter of Record - The Donegal Democrat down the years

This week’s 'A Matter of Record' offering from Michael McHugh begins with the reality of why the Railways died out in Donegal, because of the stranglehold that the North of Ireland rail connections had over this county and the simple fact that there was no railway connection to Sligo or Leitrim in the fledgling Free State, which had more pressing financial concerns that focusing investment to the north west.

Coal supplies for Rotten Island, St. John’s Point, and Rathlin O’Beirne lighthouses was the first topic in the Killybegs notes 90 years ago and in light of what is happening in RTE a letter from then then Director General to Donegal Leas Cheann Comhairle about their attitude to the Ulster dialect being used on nuacht bulletins. Very interesting reading indeed . . .

Donegal Democrat, June 29 1923 - 100 years ago

Editorial

Negotiations for the unification of the railways in Southern Ireland have made considerable success. A bill has been drafted on behalf of the Railway Companies to give effect to the grouping of the whole of the Railway systems which are completely within the Free State.

The Bill will be submitted to the Dail in due course and if passed will merely authorise unification.

The Bill does not specify any terms with regard to the purchase of the various stocks or compensation for those thrown out of employment. Serious omissions of this kind are likely to make for much opposition to the Bill.

Negotiations with the Dublin and South Eastern Railway have made little progress owing to the financial interests of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in the Company. This difficulty, however, does not seem insurmountable.

Very little thought has been given to the question of Railways partly in and partly out of the Free State, although this is really the more important problem.

Most of the Tirconaill railways are in the Free State, but they serve mainly the Northern territory and cater in a particular manner for Derry.

This is the result of the fact that there is no other outlet from the greater part of Tirconaill than via these railways and the City of Derry.

We have been informed that the difference between rates on a certain commodity in localities not ten miles apart amounts to fourteen shillings per ton.

Certain districts are thus put in a special position to advantageously trade with Derry from these certain commodities, while other districts have to pay the price for these advantages. It is economically unsound for any Free State Railway to be so dependent on a City in the Northern area.

And while pointing out the necessity for reorganisation we take the opportunity of again urging the connecting up of the Tirconaill lines with the railways of southern Ireland via Ballyshannon and Sligo.

The alternative route would quickly destroy the monopolistic trade of Derry so far as Tirconaill is concerned and complete unification would bring us equal advantages with the rest of Ireland and remove many of the difficulties from which we suffer because we are a north East corner.

Donegal Democrat, July 1, 1933 - 90 years ago

Killybegs Notes

The S.S. Ben-Jee arrived at the port with coal supplies for Rotten Island, St. John’s Point, St. John’s Point and Rathlin O’Beirne lighthouses. Mr B.Keane, Benrow, was in charge of the coaling operations.

On Thursday, a large rowing ferry boat was launched from the Castlepoint boatyard. This craft is 32 feet long and is intended for ferrying purposes at Fanad.

The motor boat “Pride of Killybegs”, which was built at the Irish Sea Fisheries Association’s local boatyard left here on Thursday for Kincasslagh, in charge of a Ruthland Island crew.

There was only a small number on the excursion train which left Killybegs on Sunday at 9 a.m. for Bundoran.

Grave discontent and disappointment is felt here at the delay in the erection of the Labourer’s Cottages and waterworks. It was expected that these works would be commenced before midsummer and then completed before winter set in.

Now with the summer well advanced a start with the above schemes has not been made, in fact locally it is not known definitely when operations will be instituted.

Donegal Democrat, July 7, 1967 - 55 years ago

“Not Easy” to recruit Language Newscasters

Telefís Éireann readers are instructed by the Authority that “extremely localised vocabulary and pronunciation” should be avoided by Irish newscasts.

This is stated by Mr Kevin C McCourt, Director General in a letter to Mr Cormac Breslin T.D., Leas Cheann Comhairle, acknowledging the deputy’s representations to the Authority for consideration for the Ulster dialect in newscasts and other announcements.

Mr McCourt’s letter reads:

“I appreciate your representations which are not indeed without precedent, on this very difficult subject of regional dialects and the news. This question, in its broader implications, has received a great deal of consideration from the Authority who directed in their statement of guidance to the staff on the use of Irish in broadcasting that ‘extremely localised vocabulary and pronunciation should be avoided’ in Irish newscasts.

“Your understanding of a total absence of any dialect bias in selecting nuacht readers is, of course, absolutely correct.

“Within the general requirement of avoiding excesses of dialect, R.T.E. recruits solely on the basis of the best readers available to it regardless of their regional origin.

“I might add that it is by no means easy to locate Irish speaking readers competent to meet the Authority’s standards in the language and possessing, in addition, the ‘on camera’ and microphone personality and the qualities of presentation and professionalism, as well as the guaranteed availability for engagement which R.T.E must require.

“R.T.E. must, of course, always aim at providing a news service on a national basis for a national audience and its main concern must be to secure the widest possible communication of news through the bulletins.

A planned use of regional dialects - even if suitable and representative newscasters were always available - would not be wholly consistent with this, but I hardly need to add that R.T.E. would gladly avail of nuacht readers from Ulster, assuming of course that they meet our general broadcasting specification, as and when the need to add to the existing panel of readers arises.”