A Matter of Record - Donegal Democrat Archival History and News from the Vaults

This week we read about Grand old man of the Roads, Bob Davitt who died in 1953, but who was one of the few people who had doubtful distinction of reading of his own death in the local paper and then there was accusations of "pull" when Galway/Salthill won an award in the Bord Fáilte Tidy Towns competition of 1963, despite the Donegal resort of Bundoran gaining more marks than the award winners, and in 1972 border smugglers retrieved seized onions in a daring exploit writes Michael McHugh. 

Donegal Democrat - October 16, 1953 - 70 years ago 

Grand old man of the Roads - Bob Davitt Dies in Hospital

The grand old man of the roads, the mysterious Knight of the highways and bye-ways of Donegal, passed quietly to his eternal reward in the Rock Hospital, Ballyshannon, on Wednesday morning.

By his death a colourful and romantic figure in the life of South Donegal and adjoining areas has been removed and his demise has been learned with genuine regret by literally thousands of people.

For over 50 years he roamed the countryside, a proud and independent figure, who accepted charity gracefully but never begged or caused annoyance and his integrity and honesty were unquestioned. 

He offered for sale matches, bottles of ink, shoe laces etc. and if those who bestowed - as he described it himself - a coin on him - took the proffered article. Bob never complained.

“Big Bob” as he was sometimes known with full bushy beard and piercing eye was seldom seen without his sack, an object of awe and unjustified terrier at times to children.

What was in the bag was frequently a matter of fruitless speculation for those who saw him.

He carried with him an aura of romance and mystery.

Bob was deeply religious and no matter where his travels brought him on Saturday night he headed to the nearest church on Sunday to assist at Holy Mass.

The deceased was one of the few people who had doubtful distinction of reading of his own death. 

It happened about twelve years ago, when he was found in an exhausted state lying on the road near Donegal and was removed to hospital.

The news of his “death” was reported to the “Democrat” from a usually reliable source and the obituary was printed and published before word was received, that Bob was, in fact, alive and in no danger of death.

Donegal Democrat - October 4, 1963 - 60 years ago 

Bundoran alleges “Pull” in Tidy Towns Awards - Baffled

Bundoran Urban Council are baffled that they did not win the special award for seaside resorts which is part of the Bord Failte’s Tidy Towns competition.

At the October meeting they decided to question their markings on the grounds that Galway/Salthill won the award with 74 marks while Bundoran got 78.

The adjudicators in their remarks said that Bundoran had once again done a very good job in the removal of derelict sites and the rehabilitation of the vacant lots thus left.

The main street, through its entire length, was bright and colourful.

The chairman, Mr Sean McEniff, said he was baffled to see the special award for seaside resorts go to Galway/Salthill when they got four marks less than Bundran.

The County Manager said that the special award for seaside resorts was for entertainments, attractions and facilities.

Mr O’Doherty - Congratulations to Salthill if they are able to do it, but did they get it fairly? That is the point.

Mr Sean O’Connell - In the remarks they speak of litter baskets being too far spaced apart, but Bundoran never had them before.

Mr O’Doherty said he had been against entering the competition because they were becoming small boys in Bundoran.

He had travelled the length and breadth of the country and Bundoran was the cleanest town he had met.

Mr. O’Connell said that a vote of thanks was due to the people of the town for their great efforts in the competition. He was somewhat disappointed that the town did not succeed or obtain more of an increase than four marks.

The chairman said the competition was cleaning up the town and it would be defeating their object not to enter next year. He associated himself with the vote of thanks to the townspeople on their efforts.

Donegal Democrat - October 13, 1972 - 51 years ago 

Smugglers retrieved seized onions in daring exploit

Onions have the reputation for producing tears and a recent consignment of about ten tons may well have produced tears of rage in their owners’ eyes when as they had been smuggled over the Border they and the lorry carrying them were seized by the Ballyshannon Customs staff.

Still, he who laughs last, or in this case cries, laughs loudest and the smugglers are safe across the border with about half the consignment and their lorry safely recovered.

The Customs’ officials after the seizure unloaded the onions and stored them in a lock-up garage they had rented in West Port, Ballyshannon.

Adjoining it is another unoccupied lock-up garage. The lorry was brought to Sligo and impounded.

A few days later the unoccupied garage next to the onions was rented by a man who told the owner it suited him perfectly.

The garage in Sligo was broken into via a window and the lorry was removed.

Then, one night last week Customs officials making a late night visit to the West Port store, surprised men loading a pick-up truck with the seized onions.

A hole in the parting wall into the adjoining garage showed how the feat was accomplished. 

Donegal Democrat - October 5 & 13 - 50 years ago 

Where is (was) it? 

The Irish Railway Record Society would like to see this C.D.R. (County Donegal railway) bridge recognised by a reader. 

Any information available should be sent to the editor of the “Democrat”. This picture was taken by the late Mr F. Miller, Ballyshannon (DD, October 5) 

C.D.R. bridge photo made lively topic for discussion

Nothing in the columns of the “Democrat” for some time past has created more interest than did the photograph in last week’s issue of the C.D.R. Bridge in course of erection in 1903.

The photo was discussed in pubs all over the North West of the count(r)y at street corners, everywhere in fact, where groups of people assemble.

The “Democrat” head office in Ballyshannon had telephone calls from many readers to tell us where the bridge is. Many others wrote to us. 

Only one of them was correct, however, - Mr Francis McMenamin, a native of Ballybofey and now residing in Killybegs.

And Francis must be right, for he was a C.D.R. employee for 52 years.

The bridge is what is known as the O’Brien’s Bridge, over the Abbey River,  a mile out of Ballyshannon.

Francis says that the site of the bridge was “a regular paradise” for salmon poachers in his younger days.

He is the last of the line’s gang who worked on this section of the line from Ballyshannon to Donegal Town from 1912 up to the time of the closure.

Hugely popular Donegal Railway Museum to feature on RTE1 this weekend

The photograph was submitted to us by Mr. Sam Carse, Dublin, well known in Donegal as a railway enthusiast and as a member of the Irish Railway Record Society.