Highlights of 1933 - happenings in Nenagh and Ireland 90 years ago
Highlights of 1933 in Ireland, Tipperary and Nenagh were published in our Archives column in this week's Nenagh Guardian. They included efforts to eliminate muskrats which were causing devastation on the Nenagh River........Here's a flavour of that historic year:
THE Dáil was dissolved on January 2 1933 and polling took place in the General Election on January 24. Those elected to the Dáil in Tipperary were: A. Fogarty (FF), D. Morrissey (C-nG), R Curran (CP), S Burke (C-nG), S Hayes (FF), M Ryan (FF), D. Breen (FF).
The election results were: Fianna Fáil, 77 seats; C-nG, 48; Independents, 9; Centre Party, 11; Labour, 8.
Mr Frank McGrath, chairman North Tipperary Board, GAA, resigned, and Mr Jas. F. Gardiner, N.T., Borrisokane, was elected chairman. Messrs T. Cleary, N.T., and T. Malone, I.T., were elected vice-presidents.
Mr McGrath was later presented with a wireless set as a token of North Tipperary Gaels’ appreciation.
At the county convention at Nenagh he was elected hon. President.
Nenagh was snow-bound on Friday, February 24, when postal, rail, road and telegraph services were dislocated. The storm lasted over the weekend.
Rugby players from Nenagh, Joe Flannery, Michael O’ Meara and P.P. Delaney, were selected on the Munster junior team for an interprovincial trial.
Nenagh was lucky in the Grand National Sweepstake. District Hospital employees drew “Impudent Barney”, a non-runner, and Mr P. Crossan, Barrack Street, was a joint-holder in the ticket that drew £100.
In March plans were submitted for the new Nenagh Hospital to the Board of Health. To cost £50,000.
Dr P. O’ Callaghan, Assistant R.M.S., Clonmel Mental Hospital, left for Chicago to compete in the athletics events at the World Fair there, when he again added fresh laurels to his reputation.
Fatalities at Killaloe included Mr W. Flynn, Instructor, Clare Agriculture Committee and Miss Anne Noonan, Killaloe, who were both drowned in the Shannon while bathing. John Coonan, New Street, Killaloe, employee of the ESB, was drowned while leaving the dredger on his way home.
Mr John Ayres, Nenagh, for the third year in succession, won the Irish Amateur Billiard Title, but lost the Snooker Championship, which he held form the previous year.
The shooting of three musk rats near the mouth of the Nenagh River at Dromineer caused a sensation.
The Department of Agriculture took the matter up and expert trappers were sent down to deal with the menace, which was growing to alarming proportions.
The work of trapping is still going ahead with success.
Plans for the new Nenagh and Templemore Vocational Schools were approved by the Department of Education and work began on both schools in the early summer.
At Nenagh annual Show a large attendance watched the new features of Irish dancing and sheaf-throwing. There was an excellent display of livestock. A high standard was attained in all sections, in which there was 1,000 entries, and the judges were high in their praise of the winning exhibits.
Tipperary secured second place in the Munster inter-county athletic and cycling contests held in the Market Field, Limerick.
Amongst the athletes who figured prominently for Tipperary were Messrs J. Flannery and M. Dempsey, Nenagh.
Kilkenny dashed Limerick’s homes of becoming All Ireland hurling champions, defeating them in the final at Croke Park.
The margin between the teams was only four points.
During his tour of the Irish Free State, Sir Alan Cobham brought his great Air Display to Nenagh (Sheane) on Saturday, September 23. Crowds of enthusiasts availed of the opportunity to take their first flight.
Toomevara, divisional hurling champions in North Tipp, bowed to their first defeat in twelve years when their record was lowered by Portroe at Dolla on Sunday, September 10th.
The first meeting in Tipperary of the newly formed United Ireland Party was held in Thurles on Sunday, September 17.
A huge crowd attended. The leaders of the party, Gen. O’ Duffy, Mr W. Cosgrave, T.D., Mr J. Dillon, T.D., Mr F. McDermott, T.D., and local representatives spoke.
Thurles was chosen as one of the three new sites for beet factories in the Saorstat.
Mingled with the satisfaction that one of the sites had been selected in North Tipperary was no little disappointment that Nenagh was not the choice of the experts.
A large attendance witnessed Tipperary’s double win over Galway in the junior and minor hurling finals at Portumna, when they annexed the double All Ireland crown.
At a special meeting of Nenagh Urban Council, plans were approved for the erection of 112 cottages, at the approximate cost of £30,000, two-thirds of the grant to be provided by the Government.
President De Valera cut the first sod of the site on which the Thurles Beet Factor would be built on Saturday, November 25th, and his Grace, Most Rev. Dr Harty, Archbishop of Cashel, blessed the site and dedicated it to St. Bridget.
A new Boxing Club was formed at Nenagh. It was decided to join the Midland Boxing League.
Appeal for financial support was made.