Tuam Town Commissioners, Minutes, 1914-1926

Includes:-

-Proposed that ‘The Commissioners decline or refuse to give up possession of the Fish Shambles as in future date it would be required for more important business such as accommodation for motor house or plant for electric light or some other purpose’ (p15, see also p19).

-‘Proposed by Mr Patrick Murphy, seconded by Mr Daly that an address be presented to J. E. Redmond on his arrival at Tuam and that the Chairman, Mr Daly, and Mr Dwyer for the Committee’ (p33).

-Proposed ‘…that the Clerk be directed to ask Mr McNally, contractor, to provide numbers for the dwellings and that the Ballygaddy Road dwellings be called McHale Terrace and the Dublin Road Parkmore Terrace’ (p59).

-Names of tenants approved for houses at Parkmore Terrance and McHale Terrace (6 May 1915, p62).

-‘Mary McHugh, Kilbannon and William Cruise, Dunmore applied for and were granted artisans dwellings on McHale Terrace in complying with the regulations’ (p64, see also p66).

-Transcript of resolution received from the Municipal Council City of Dublin which entered ‘an emphatic protest against the unjust treatment of our fellow Countrymen (members of the Irish Volunteers) who have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment without satisfactory reasons being given; that we demand their immediate release, and desire to draw the attention of our Parliamentary representatives to the unequal administration of the law as regards public utterances and writings in Ireland and in England, further that we demand the same privileges to be extended to Irishmen, as have been given to Lord Northcliffe and the English Press presently opposed to the British Government’ (p80).

-Report from Surveyor, T. Hamilton, following an inspection of the houses at McHale and Parkmore Terraces (pp106-09, see also p149, p189).

-Granting permission to Irish Foresters to extend its Hall (pp119-120).

-‘That  we the Tuam TC respectfully request the magistrates of the district to refuse to grant occasional licenses for the Tuam Fairs in future
‘We desire to point out that in a town of a little over 3,000 of a population with 30 public houses, several of them adjacent to the Fair Green, the necessity for such occasion licenses does not exist; and further that in face of the widespread Temperance crusade now being carried on all over Ireland, and the restrictions imposed even by the Government on the drink traffic, the granting of further drinking facilitates in the Town of Tuam is unnecessary and undesirable, and a source of contamination to the people attending our fairs’ (pp121-2).

-‘A resolution was received from the Westport Urban Council calling on the Government to release Irish prisoners arrested in connection with the recent rebellion on suspicion’.
‘Mr Burke proposed the resolution be adopted. Passed unanimously’ (p129, 1^st Aug 1916).

-‘The Ganger at the quarry appeared before the Board and stated the labourers were going on strike next day unless the wages was increased from 18/- to 20/- per week….’ (p132).

-Tenders for public lighting were accepted (p135, see also p220).

-‘Only one tender was received (for Tolls and Customs) that of Mr John Murphy offering £6000 (six hundred pounds) for the Tolls and customs and agreeing to the terms of advertisement.
The Board unanimously decided not to set the Tolls less than £625.  The Clerk having an interview with Mr Murphy’s son, he agreed to the price fixed by the Commissioners and the tender was accepted accordingly’ (p137, see also p181, p218, p242).

-‘That the Clerk be directed to write to the LGB to inform them and request their attention to the unsanitary state of one of the favourite walks of the town, owing to the rotten matter emanating from the Workhouse and lodging on the roadside to the detriment of the health and hygiene of the locality’ (p140, see also p 142 & p152).

-‘TTC take the necessary steps to acquire compulsorily the premises known as the Fish Shambles, situate at Egan’s Lane Tuam, which said premises the Commissioners had been tenants of for a number of years...’ (p146, see also p151, p161).

-‘The Secretary Irish Women’s Council wrote requesting the Board to get signature to their memorial calling on the Government to treat Irish women prisoners as prisoners of war and not as criminals.’
‘It was ordered that the Clerk and Mr Dwyer would get the women of the Town who are in sympathy with the object of the resolution to sign it’ (p158).

-Resolution from Dublin Corporation was adopted demanding ‘...that the British Government shall adopt a similar policy to that which they have congratulated the Provisional Government of Russian, and declare a general amnesty of Irish Political Prisoners and a revocation of the recent order of deportation upon other Irishmen (9 May 1917, pp164-5).

-Resolution of sympathy on the ‘lamented death of Major William Redmond on the Battle field of France...’ (3 Jul 1917, p169).

-Resolution from Dublin Corporation was adopted, ‘...having learned that certain members of the Irish Civil Service have been victimised by dismissal, transfer to other offices, or by having adverse records made against them by secret reports, demand that the evidence upon which they have been victimised shall be produced and that the officers concerned shall be given a fair opportunity of meeting the charges upon which they have been penalised...’ (14 Jan 1918, pp196-6).

-‘Re Tolls and Customs:  Mr O’Malley proposed and Mr Burke seconded that the Tolls be increased via Bullocks and heifers from 4 to 6d each, 1 and 2 year olds from 3 to 4d each....
The Clerk in the meantime to find out if the Commissioners could increase the Tolls legally’ (p217).

-‘Only one tender was received for repairs to the Dome of Town Hall that of Mr Darby Forde’s for the sum of £18.0.0, same to be complete and any defective parts replaced to the satisfaction of the Board’ (p232).

-Letter from Mr T. J. Reid, Gas Contractor, Ballina, proposing to apply ‘for a provisional order in connection with the Gas Works in Tuam with power to supply electricity for all purposes in Tuam and district...’ (p236, see also p246).

-Mr Collins appointed engineer over the sewerage scheme at McHale Terrace (p240).

-‘That this Council of the elected representatives of Tuam, hereby acknowledged the authority of Dáil Éireann as the duly elected Government of the Irish people, and undertakes to give effect, to all decrees, duly promulgated by the said Dáil Éireann in so far as same affect this Council’ (4 May 1920, p263).

-‘Proposed by Mr Cooney, seconded by The Chairman that a public meeting be called or summoned for Sunday next the 11^th inst (July 1920) at the Town Hall.  Rev Father Hannon be asked to preside in aid of the Railway workers now dismissed over the present crises’ (p269).

-‘That we the Tuam Town Commissioners cannot find words to condemn the atrocious and savage conduct of the members of the R.I.C. who in the early hours of the morning caused such havoc and destruction in several houses in the town. That many lives were not lost and the whole town laid in ruins is not the fault of the Police by their manical (sic) acts of incendiarism.  That we demand of the British Government as has been already done by his Grace the Archbishop a sworn public inquiry into the barbarous acts of these men, and that we demand from that Government full compensation for the burning and looting of property.  
Whist we condemn the shooting of two Constables near Tuam and express our sympathy with their relatives, it cannot be held as an excuse for these unbridled acts of savagery’ (3^rd Aug 1920, p271). ‘This resolution rescinded at the meeting held October 6^th 1920’.

-Letter read from the LGB stating that ‘attention had been called to the series of resolutions passed by local authorities in Ireland repudiating the authority of the Imperial Parliament.  The Government have given the Board explicit instructions that no loans or grants from public funds for any purpose shall be made by the LG Board to any local authority without a definite assurance that they will submit their accounts to audit and be prepared to conform to the rules and orders of the Local Government as heretofore’ (3 August 1920, p272).

-‘Dáil Éireann has directed that the imposition of religious or political tests as a condition of industrial employment is illegal.
Attempts are being made to enforce such tests in Belfast, and thousands of workmen and workwomen have been forcibly driven from their employment because they refuse to submit to them.
Until this tyranny ceases and the expelled workers are restored goods manufactured or distributed from Belfast must not be purchased or received elsewhere....’ (p275).

-‘That we the Tuam Town Commissioners beg to tender to Most Revd Dr Mannix Archbishop of Melbourne our heartiest welcome on his return to his native county.  We offer him at the same time our warmest sympathy in the affront attempted to be put upon him by the British Government in prevent him to land here, and condemn such stupid and malignant conduct....’(p276).

-Details on the revision of Tolls and Customs (p279).

-Appeal by the TC to inhabitants of Tuam to ‘cease from all trade with Belfast firms and firms which purchase from Belfast...’ (p281).

-Martin Costello was declared tenant of No. 14 McHale Terrace (p283).

-Tender for the lighting of the town (p309).

-With regard to the amalgamation of the Union workhouses the ‘Board desired to call the attention of Dáil Éireann and District Council. That they consider Tuam Union workhouse the most central and convenient for a county nursing Home for the above object...’ (p312, see also p314, p414, p520).

-Address of welcome to Dr De Valera ‘...on his visit to Galway Dec 4^th (1921) by the Chairman (Costello), Mr Moran, Mr P Walsh and the Clerk’
‘The Committee of Management having decided that only one address was to be presented that of the Galway County council.  The Clerk was directed to have it inserted on minute book and copy sent to Dáil Éireann’. (p326).

-Special meeting convened to give members an opportunity to view ‘their views on The Treaty between Ireland and Gt. Britain’, where upon they call on public representatives to ratify the Treaty (p332).

-Propose to apply for loan of £7,000 to re-build the Town Hall (p320, see also p360, p424, p432, p438, p444).

-Rent on Artisan Dwellings raised to 5/ (shillings) per week (p358).

-Defective drainage at the cottages at McHale Terrace (p376).

-Details of free-grant from the Provisional Government of a housing scheme (p392, 17 May 1922).

-‘That we the Tuam Town Commissioners express our appreciation and sorrow of, at the loss Ireland has suffered at the death of President Griffith, and we extend our deep sympathy to Mrs Griffith and Family... On this occasion we further express our sorrow for the deaths of Cathal Burgha and Harry Boland, and we earnestly hope that all their deaths may have the effect of ending the present horrible conflict and restoring the country to a state of peach and prosperity’ (4 Aug 1922, p434).

-‘Clerk be directed to write to the Minister of Defence call attention to the furious driving of military particularly with Crossley cars not alone through the town but more especially on country roads’ (p480, see also p482, p486).

-Special meeting convened to consider extension of the borough boundary (p483).

-Claim of £3,350 for compensation accepted for burning of the Town Hall (p483, see also p491, p492 & see p497-8 regarding the rebuilding of the Hall).

-Tender of Owen Larkin, Ballinasloe in the sum of £4,130.1.4 accepted for the re-construction of the Town Hall (p503, see also p504, p539).

-Tender of Stephen Faller, jeweller, Galway in the sum of £208.10 to erect the clock on the Town Hall was accepted (p537, see also p569).

-Letters and discussion regarding the setting of the speed limit in the town at 10 miles per hour (p559).

-‘Public lighting tender was accepted from Tuam Electricity Company per Mr James Daly, Secretary, as follows....£3.7.6 per lamp and also £3.7.6 for clock and £2.0.0 extra for any alright lamps....’ (p566).

-In November 1925 it was resolved to accept the tender of Mr Dwan in the sum of £265 per annum for ten years for the lease of the Town Hall (p574).