Search Results for 'John Noone'

We have three photographs today of the Small Crane (where was the Big Crane?), all taken about 1890 with the potato market in full swing. The market was held here regularly and was an occasion where the town met the country. Farmers from as far away as Inverin would bring their potatoes into town to sell to shopkeepers and to individual customers. The scale, which you can see in the background, was used to weigh large sacks. In some of the images, you can see potatoes stacked loosely beside the creels. The scale was kept steady by large rocks. Some of the farmers are resting on sacks of potatoes while waiting for customers.

An article that appeared in The Irish Times on January 7, 1861, was lifted from the Galway Press and started as follows: “Twenty years ago, this fishing village, for which outdoor relief is now deemed necessary, was the greatest source of profit and employment to the people of Galway. It was the wealth producing quarter of the town, and not alone the town of Galway, but many parts of the interior of Ireland felt the benefit of the successful industry of the Claddagh fishermen. The harvest fishing season, which began in August and ended in November, produced a very large accession of wealth to the country. The number of cadgers leaving the town for the interior averaged about 150 daily, and whilst these peripatetic dealers in fish were thus numerously employed, the foremost merchants we had were occupied in filling their stores with herrings, and even the Fishery Board on some occasions were known to barrel large quantities. So abundant frequently was the take that all the cargoes of salt provided by the importers of that article did not suffice, and it had to be brought overland from Limerick and other places.”

1925