Orders to fire on poaching trawlers off Donegal the solution 90 years ago

For those local fishing communities that lament the ability of being able to fish off their own Donegal coast and feel frustrated and aggrieved as others come into the Bay from abroad, sometimes illegally, will take little comfort that the problem goes back to the very foundation of the State.  

90 years ago, the Donegal Democrat of June 16, 1934 reported how the State was dealing with the issue under the no nonsense headline of 'Orders to Fire - Saorstat Government and Poaching trawlers'.

The report said:
"So persistent and daring has become the activities of foreign trawlers in Free State territorial waters that the fishery patrol boat Muirchu has received orders to fire on any ships within territorial limit that does not heave-to when called upon.
Ships are signalled by flags by day and with flashes at night.

"Within recent months fishermen around the coast have complained of the activities of trawlers, not only from England and Scotland, but from France and Spain and the fishermen say that the fishing grounds that provided a livelihood for generations were being destroyed by these trawlers.

Emigration difficulties with the United States were even apparent a century ago as was outlined in an editorial from 100 years ago and as reported in the Donegal Democrat of June 13, 1924.

Editorial: Emigration to United States
The conditions and regulations at present governing the entrance of emigrants, from Ireland to the United States are deplorable.
All kinds of obstacles are placed in the way, and after much expense and inconvenience, it is only the lucky few who get through.
The quota system operated by the United States does not seem to apply to the Free State; for emigrants have to chance their luck along with those from Great Britain and the Six Counties.
The high cost of the passage to the States, has added to the innumerable expanses. Two birth certificates and a certificate for health will be demanded.

ABOVE: June 1954 appointment of Deputy Cormac Breslin as Leas Ceann Comhairle

Photos will be required, vaccinations will have to be performed and passports procured.
All these will cost money and entail a vast amount of trouble.
And now we hear that a new visa, costing £2 10s, will shortly be required from every immigrant entering the United States, and passports already vised, will have to be vised again.

ABOVE: 1964 Donegal Democrat advert for those going to England

The visa will be valid for four months only and if an emigrant does not go through during that time, he will have to pay again for a fresh visa.
We do not wish, by any means, to encourage emigration from Ireland, but facilities of some sort should be available for those who must emigrate.
The act excluding Japanese, has caused great resentment in Japan, to the extent of being a definite, certain policy.
The unfortunate emigrant from Ireland, is fleeced on all sides, fooled from post to pillar and then as likely as not, told to go home again.

80 years ago - June 17 1944 - New boatslip for Glencolumbkille
Work has commenced on the construction of a new boatslip at Port on the Glencolumbkille coast. For over fifty years the fishermen of that district have been agitating for the erection of this boatslip because due to the absence of a platform to land their catches it was with extreme difficulty and at the risk of their lives that they could participate in any fishing other than lobster fishing.
A number of men are employed in connection with the Scheme which is being carried out under the direction of Marine Engineers.

70 years ago - June 18, 1954 - Television in Bundoran
Television has come to Bundoran.
The first set to be installed is that in the Marine Bar which has been provided for the benefit of the guests.
It is noteworthy that this is the first hotel in the North West to cater for visitors in this way.
It is an innovation which visitors to the popular resort will welcome and hope to see extended.

ABOVE: June 1974 Democrat advert for Staff Nurses at Letterkenny General Hospital

60 years ago - June 19, 1964 - Donegal Junior Hurling championship - Killybegs make winning debut
Killybegs 6-8; MacCumhaills 1-1
The first ever hurling game played in the Killybegs parish got off to a good start at the Island Park on Sunday, when Killybegs played MacCumhaills in the county junior hurling championship before a large attendance.
Ad weather left the pitch slippery and this hampered the teams from serving up their best. This was Killybegs’ initial attempt in a championship and from their display on Sunday they showed that they are a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Though MacCumhaills were short some of their regular players, their substitutes did well.
Killybegs team: Dave Harron; M. Herron, D Carberry, T. Coyne; M. Joyce, D. Creaven (1-0), L. Mannion; K. McDonnell, D. Houlihan (1-4); F. Sullivan (1-0), T. Purcell (1-3), J. Murphy (1-0); P. Barron, PJ O’Byrne (1-1), P. Burke.
Subs: M. O’Brien, M. Hessian, R. Burke, B. Groves.
MacCumhaills: S. McNamee; Peter Carr, P.S. Maguire, C. Moore; A. McVeen, Seamus D’arcy, P. McCahill; C. Kavanagh, Sean Carolan, P. Sweeney, F. O’Shea (0-1), D. Patton, S. Foy (1-0), M. Lafferty, E. Lafferty. Sub: G. Lafferty.

Referee: PJ McDonnell, Mountcharles.

50 years ago - June 14, 1974 - Muldoon forced to withdraw
On Thursday morning a bombshell was dropped in the Donegal Electoral Division when it became known that Mr Frank Mukdoon, manager of the Social Welfare Office, Donegal Town,, an Independent candidate in the County Council election had been ruled ineligible.
This (Thursday) morning Mr Muldoon issued the following statement:
“Please note that as a result of a communication received on 10/6/’74 from my employer, the Department of Social Welfare, indicating that my employment could be terminated if I continued as a candidate in the local county council elections, I must therefore withdraw my candidature and request that the electorate support the other candidates of their choice in the Donegal area and to ignore any advertisements or election literature supporting my candidature.”