25 YEARS AGO/1983
Bishops on war and peace
THE Irish Bishops, in a joint statement on war and peace in the nuclear age, expressed concern that the world is faced with the appalling fact that the continuation of the human race can no longer be taken for granted because of the destructive power of modern warfare, with the nuclear threat at its core.
The joint statement, 'The Storm that Threatens,' echoed Pope John Paul at Hiroshima, that "from now on, it is only through conscious choice and through a deliberate policy that humanity can survive."
Such a choice and such a policy must be based on reverence for human life: "Whether in regard to the rights of the unborn, the elderly and the handicapped, the destruction of people through hunger and malnutrition, or the threat of annihilation through weapons of mass destruction, such reverence cannot be selective, since human life is all of a piece."
Car burst into flames
A MOTORIST had a miraculous escape from death or serious injury when his car crashed over a ditch and burst into flames at Dooish, Drumquin. The accident – from which Raymond Andrew Walker from Lack emerged unscathed – occurred on a dangerous bend.
Mr Walker was confronted by a car being pushed by two men and in an attempt to avoid a collision he drove onto the grass verge. Unfortunately his vehicle overturned but an uninjured Mr Walker was thrown out of the car by the force of the impact.
"He only seemed to be recovering from shock when we arrived on the scene," said a member of Omagh Fire Brigade, which extinguished the remaining blaze.
50 YEARS AGO/1958
De Valera condemns violence
SPEAKING in the Dáil and referring to the campaign of violence that had been proceeding in the Six Counties, the Taoiseach, Mr de Valera, said that "they were in a most dangerous world situation and he prayed and hoped that the dangerous possibilities there might not eventuate".
Mr de Valera said there was no doubt that Partition was an injustice to a large section of our people if not to the whole nation. "We were working very quietly and, in my opinion, were making some progress towards getting the solution to it," he said.
Mr de Valera added, "The fact that the solution has not been got by the methods that have been tried is not an excuse for the attempts that have been made to use force. If there was to be a solution by force, that solution would have been tried before by the Irish nation and those who are authorised to act on behalf of the Irish nation."
Procession to Mass rock
UPWARDS of 400 people took part in the annual procession organised by the Errigal Ciaran branch of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association to Gleann an Aifrinn, situated between Ballygawley and Sixmilecross, on Sunday.
Along the processional route, little wayside altars were erected and bunting, in which the Papal colours predominated, spanned the road from Dunmoyle to the secluded Mass Glen. Torrential rain fell during the ceremonies, but the people who had gathered in their hundreds to walk in the procession from Dunmoyle church contributed in making the Glen an inspiring and edifying sight.
75 YEARS AGO/1933
Orangemen cause disturbance
THE police had to use their batons when rival religious factions came into conflict in Liverpool. Orange processions from various parts of the city attended a service at the Picton Hall, but they were not all able to gain admission. Those unable to enter the hall gathered in nearby streets, and trouble arose between them and rival crowds in Christian Street.
Bottles and stones were thrown, and dresses were torn from women who entered the conflict. Mounted and foot police were rushed to the scene and dispersed the crowd, the police drawing their batons to separate the fighting mob.
When the crowds cleared, two men were found lying on the ground and were taken to hospital, one with head injuries and the other with a stab in the arm. Neither was detained. The police made two arrests.
Tyrone border mystery
CONSTABLES Thompson, Phillips and Matier of the Clogher Customs patrol, effected a surprising capture when on duty at the Tyrone-Monaghan border.
While lying in wait for other animals to make their appearance, they perceived a small live lobster in a stream adjoining a mountain lake and promptly seized and confiscated it without the usual magistrates' order.
It is an object of much curiosity in Clogher, and its presence so far from its native element is a mystery.
100 YEARS AGO/1908
Furious driving on streets
MOST people will endorse the remarks of the chairman of the Omagh Petty Sessions, Captain Gosselin, when he observed that "there was a great deal of furious driving on the streets of Omagh". With few exceptions, the boys who drive delivery vans from the shops are incompetent to drive and devoid of any sense of responsibility.
They are utterly reckless and do not seem to care whether they knock persons down or not. The employers of these boys are probably unaware of how they lash the horses and dash along, heedless of everything, at breakneck speed, the vans swaying in a zig-zag course.
The wonder is that there are not more accidents. Persons are continually having hair-breadth escapes.
Worn out horses
WE wonder where do the Inspectors for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals conceal themselves or do they ever visit Omagh? If they did, surely something would be done to prevent the painful and revolting spectacles witnessed almost daily on our streets of old worn-out horses staggering under excessive loads.
It is almost certain in many cases there are sores under the harness worn by these unfortunate beasts. Their owners are men devoid of any feeling of humanity. Their only object in life is to make as much as they can out of the poor animals who belong to them, utterly callous to their sufferings.
Many of these horses are long past work, and it would be a humane thing to put them out of their miserable existence.
– Nigel McDonagh
