Galway Advertiser 2000/2000_08_31/GA_31082000_E1_019.pdf 

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Letters

Violence in Galway
Dear Editor, After every weekend we learn of more violent acts having taken place in Galway. This phe nomenon is not new, it's just escalating. Ireland is going through an identity crisis, similar to that in the UK some 20 years ago, and the results are just the same: violence against people, animals, property, authority. It is not the lack of a high-grade airport that will stop visitors and business coming to Galway, but the atrocious level of violence that we are tolerating. Galway is a violent town, and people must demand more of its police service if anything is to change. An increase in Garda numbers is not the only answer: gardai must get out of the two Galway stations and be on the streets at critical times over the weekends. How anyone can be beaten to a pulp within spitting distance of Mill Street Station is a mystery to everyone; is it that the gardai are deployed elsewhere at the time? If so, I'm sure that the rest of the community would love to know where, as they struggle to deal with weekly burglaries, car thefts, 'joyriding' and tyre slashing episodes. If this level of violence, perpetrated by young people, continues to be accepted, Galway can expect to lose all credibility as a tourist or trade destination, and rightly so. Forget the politi cians, only a huge public outcry will change anything. Yours sincerely A Herbert Ballybrit Heights Galway

Another tale of an intimidating taxi driver
Dear Editor, I would like to make some comments with regard to Mr Noel Burke's letter to the Galway Advertiser dated August 24,1 would like to point out that I did not read the letter from Angela of Sandy Road. A number of months back my wife and I and our two chil dren got a taxi at the rank in Eyre Square one Friday evening at appro x 8pm, we asked the driver to take us to a private estate in the Renmore area, he left the rank and proceeded in the general direction. When we realised that the driver interpreted our request incorrectly, we asked where we were being taken. He named an estate which we pointed out was not correct The driver became very abusive towards us and after a fairly heated dis cussion he agreed to take us to our intended destination. However when we arrived at our estate I asked that we be dropped off at the entrance, to which he replied "It looks like you don't want me to see which house you live in", when I asked him what he meant by that statement hereplied"You know what I mean". Please bear in mind that my wife and two children are in the back seat listening to all this. I felt so intimidated by all this that I was too frightened to contact the garda in case the individual lost his job as a result of my actions and that he would seek revenge in some way. As regards articles 52 and 53 of the road traffic regulations, I would safely say this driver never even knew that they exist ed, his attitude and attire were disgraceful. Name and Address with editor.

Dear Editor,

In the early hours of Sunday July 23, a 25 foot X 3 foot multicoloured banner belong ing to Magpie magazine was stolen from its perch on High Street, where it hung between the Kings Head and the Evergreen shop. Initially, we thought the banner had been taken as part of a prank by late night rev ellers as this was during the height of the Galway Arts Festival and town was rocking. The banner had the line "Enjoy the craic in the west," and we felt that maybe some peo ple took this a bit literally. However, video evidence which later came to hand has proven that the theft was pre meditated and the banner was taken for a particular and petty reason. The video which is now in the possession of Galway gardai shows three males whom we have identified

Bad manners ^. Missing Magpie banner: " e sw yu t k it, s ge it bon Croagh w a o ae o v ak i c" Patrick
taking the banner, carefully wrapping it up and carrying it in a backpack away from the scene. Magpie does not wish to become engaged in an ultimately embarrassing process of press ing charges against those who took it. We are a lively and energetic magazine and can con done a bit of laddism. All we are asking is that the banner be returned to us. If however, the banner is not returned by Sept 7, we have no option but to request that charges be brought against those who stole it. By the way, there is still a decent reward for its return. Yours, Declan Varley Editor, Magpie magazine, Odeon House, Eyre Square, Galway Dear Editor, I was doubtless one of many who held their tongues when confronted with the emotive displays used by anti-abortion campaigners when climbing Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday (article August 16: Galway Advertiser). While Galway for Life can rightly claim an 'avalanche' of support at its annual stand on the Co Mayo pilgrimage, there was certainly dissention among the Reek Sunday ranks. Of course the majority of those climbing the Reek on the last Sunday of July would show support for Galway for Life. A large and receptive audience is guaranteed. However, there were those among the 30,000 stick-bearing brethren that dis agree with GFL. I wonder if they all decided to melt into the psalm littered background, as I did, rather than voice their opinions. There were several reasons for my decision to keep quiet, although I felt angry, disappointed, and frustrated by the sight of GFL's exhibition. I have too healthy a respect for freedom of expression and the religious nature of Reek Sunday to launch an attack on pro-lifers as I tumbled down the mountain. I agree that GFL has a right to present its views. A religious event such as Reek Sunday is arguably a perfect opportunity to rally support, even if this begs the crit icism of preaching to the converted. Recognising that Reek Sunday is a religious event, I was loath to to begin a catfight on such a provoking subject as whether women have the right to an abortion. 1 have a strong pro-choice stance on the subject and GFL members are obvi ously just as devoted to their point of view. Why subject the masses to open-air argument on such a meaningful day? So I quashed the anger and disappointment I felt that day when I was reminded that Irish women are denied a right that I enjoy as an Australian woman. The first time I realised that Irish women do not have the opportunity to choose whether to have a child or an abortion, and must travel to Britain in order to access safe abortion, I was honestly sur prised, and then deeply shocked. If one of GFL's missions is to provoke people into think ing about abortion, then its stand certainly serve its purpose. I did think long and hard about the issue from that moment on. But I will always come out on the pro-choice side. GFL has an important point of view to present, but why can't it and other pro-life groups continue to promote their arguments in an environment where women actually have a choice to make? Yours sincerely, Ms Meeka Bailey, 65 Ocean Wave, Salthill, Galway.

kingforFrenchre

ions

Dear Editor, I was wondering if your readers can possibly give roe information on my ancestors, the French family of County Galway? The first ancestors I have researched were married at Tuam 5/4/1828 being Patrick French marrying Bridget Mcguire.Their children were John born 1832, Cornelius bom 1836, Mary born 1838, Mary bom 1840. Patrick bom 1837 (was my direct ancestor). He married Mary Ann Kenny at Rahoon in 1851. They had a son Stephen baptised at Tuam in 1858. My research indicates that Patrick was in Liverpool c 1864.1 did not find that Stephen was with them. The other children to Patrick and Bridget were Cornelius bom 1842, Agnes bom 1843, and Patt bora 1845. If your readers can give me any information on any of these people, or anything about my French family ancestors, I would be most grateful. Yours sincerely, Alan Jones 17 Hampden Road, Tranmere, Birkenhead, Wirral, England CH42 5LH

The M m r l Ac e oi r h a
Dear Editor, Further to my last letter (July 6 2000), which was in reference to the walkway by Salmon Weir Bridge, 1 have been waiting to see the fin ished job on the Memorial Arch. It is in many ways disap pointing, when you see the adjacent wall coming from the Salmon Weir Bridge fin ished in cut stone and point ed. The architectual beauty of the arch is lost on the stone work now completed. It has been flouted with random uncoursed rubble not suitable for the architec ture of a cut stone arch. Is there anyone in charge of a structure of such impor tance? How could anything like this pass as the finished j o b ? Is the corporation going to stand by and let this type of work go ahead with such an unsuitable finish, knowing that the arch has been built as a memorial to the dead? I am sure the Department of the Environment paid out good money to have this arch built to a high standard of workmanship. Please let us keep the consistent stonework at all times. If I may mention a recent bit of stonemasonry being built in Claregalway village, a set of nine arches all in cut stone, this is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Credit must go to the architect, engineer, and stonemasons for a job well done. Why can't Galway have something like this, especial ly in the City of the Tribes? How can we be proud of our cityy if we cannot replace what is suitable in a scenic arch? The arch entrance is the main feature of the river walk. It is something for the local people to be proud of and something to show to the visitors. As staled in the press, it is a memorial to all those who gave their lives for peace. May they rest in peace. Yours faithfully,

SUDAN CAMPAIGN O F DEATH AND TERROR:

Sl n e of international ie c c m u iy m s be bo e o m nt u t rkn
schools, hospitals, feeding centres, and NGO distribu tion points. Humanitarian agencies are also coming under attack from aerial bombardment forcing a drastic reduction in the level of relief operations and a withdrawal of key staff and resources. Targeting of civilian and humanitarian groups by the Government of Sudan is in direct contravention of inter national law. Tragically there has been almost no criticism of these actions from the internation al community. No state should be allowed to conduct such a campaign of terror against its own people, how ever, the Government of Sudan has done so for 17 years. The silence of the interna tional community is com plicity. Irish NGOs working in Sudan want the voice of the Irish Government to break this silence. It must condemn the bombing and terrorising of civilians and NGOs in southern Sudan. It should push, on an interna tional level, for a resump tion, by both sides, of the conflict of the humanitarian cease-fire that ended on July 15. Finally, our Government must continue to support and promote the IGAD peace. Yours sincerely, Anne Holmes, Emergency Officer, Trocaire.

Dear Editor, During the month of July in southern Sudan - in an esca lation of an on-going cam paign of death and terror over 250 bombs were dropped by Government of Sudan planes on civilian tar gets killing an unknown number of men, women, and children. Mass graves are being dug to bury the bodies of victims of these air attacks and yet there has been almost no media attention and only the faintest protest from govern ments and the international community in general. The bombs are being deliber ately dropped on urban areas, usually around midmorning, on market places,

Alfie Trill, Galway.
565627

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G A L W A Y A D V E R T I S E R 2-3Church L a n e Galway.

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