THE TUAM HERALD, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1909 TUAM, CO. GALWAY PITHY PARS. - Personal, Parochial Provincial and Particular ---------- Edward Martyn was born at Masonbrook, near Loughrea, in this county, on the 31st January, 1859. He was educated at Belvedere, College, Dublin; Beaumont College, Windsor, and Christ Church, Oxford; but his only real education was that which he gave himself. In 1885 he thought of publishing a volume of poems, but destroyed them instead. In 1890 he published a satirical romance called "Morgante the Lesser." In 1899 his two plays, "The Heather Field" and "Maeve," with an introduction by George Moore, appeared, and immediately gave rise to a storm of controversy in the Press. "The Heather Field," at the inaguration of the Irish Literary Theatre, was produced on the stage in Dublin with brilliant artistic success in May, 1899, and in London at Terry's Theatre. With the same success, inn the following June. It has since been translated into German for the German stage. It was produced for the first time three nights last week at the Abbey National Theatre, Dublin, by the talented troupe that have made that place famous, and with the same success that marked the previous performances. ---------- In the Co Galway Land Purchase has thus proceeded: Area purchased and distributed, 53,332s. 1 r. 24 p.; area purchased but not yet distributed, 34s. 3r 30p.; area for which offers had been made but which had not been acquired, 22,069s. 2r. 18p. ---------- In the Ballinasloe Lunatic Asylum the number on last Board day, 487 males, 544 males - 1,03, since admitted, 14 males, 7 females - 21; since discharged, 2 males, 4 females - 6; died, 8 males, 6 females - 14; remaining on this date, 851 males, 545 females - 1,894. County Galway, 563 males, 336 females - 899; County Roscommon, 269 males, 205 females - 474; original lunatics, 12 males, 2 females - 14; total, 851 males, 448 females. ---------- A large consignment of Persse's whiskey was shipped by the s. s. Arethusa for Newry Custom House during the present week. The quantity of whiskey was the largest which left Galway port for a considerable period, amounting to over 200 puncheons. ---------- Sir George and Lady Morris, who have been staying at Mentone for the last six weeks, have gone onto Seville for a short stay, after which they will return home. ---------- Owing to the decision arrived at by the Mayo County Council on Saturday last, the Secretary. Mr. John Clarke, the Accountant, Mr. George B. Virtue, and Mr. James Sweeney, writing clerk, will hand in their resignations at the next meeting of the Council. ---------- The Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam, in the course of an address at Balle parish church, after a reference to temperance in connection with which his Grace stated that he was delighted to hear from Father MacDermott that there was a great improvement, said he was pleased to hear that after long negotiations the large estate and the grass lands around the town - and nowhere were they more remarkable in Ireland, than about Balla - had been purchased, and would be divided amongst the people for cultivation.. It had always been a great satisfaction to him to hear of things moving in that direction, and he was glad that the day would soon be at hand when, instead of the land being given over to cattle, the people would have it to work it, and in this connection his Grace urged that they should work the land properly by applying labour and skill to it, and if they did the produce would be five times more per acre than at present, and he advocated that farmers ought to produce everything needed for the support of their families from the land. ---------- The late gifted and popula writer, Marion Crawford, was connected on his father's side with the Crawford's of Galway. Francis Marion Crawford, the celebrated novelist, died on April 2. He was born August 2, 1854, at the Baths of Lucca, in Northern Italy. He derived his given names from a maternal ancestor, General Francis Marion, a heroic figure in the American Revolution. His father, Thomas Crawford, was the son of emigrants from the West of Ireland, who was brought to America when a child, was apprenticed in boyhood to a wood carver and in early manhood went to Rome to study carving in marble. With W W Story and Hiram Powers he eventually became a member of the famous trio of pioneer American sculptors who made their headquarters in Italy, the two former in Rome, the latter in Florence. Thomas Crawford married Miss Louisa Ward, a sister of Mrs. Ward Howe. At two years of age Marion was sent to be brought up by relatives in Bordentown, NJ, but after his father's death, in 1857, he was taken back to Rome, where he spent his boyhood. Until twelve years of age his education was entrusted to a French governess, so that he was brought up with three languages, the French of his nursery, the Italian of his environment and the English of his family circle. ---------- We are very pleased to learn that the recent examination for clerkships for the G P O London, Master T P O'Regan, son of Mr. James O'Regan, postmaster, Kiltimagh, passed a very successful examination, having qualified, and obtained 8th place from 300 applicants. We join in wishing him very many happy years to enjoy his position, and hope that this is only the forerunner to higher honours in the service of this great Department. ---------- We are pleased to learn that Lord Lucan who for some time past has been indisposed, has now completely recovered from his illness. This will be pleasing news to the people of Castlebar, where his lordship is so much esteemed, as well as to all the tenants on the Lucan Estate. Few as to all the tenants on the Lucan Estate. Few Irish landlords have proved so worthy of the admiration of the people as the present Earl of Lucan, who not only made generous presentation in the way of free sites the church, schools, parochial residence, presbytery, and other building sites in Castlebar, who is also noted for his charitable treatment of his tenantry, and was one of the first, if not the first, landlord in Ireland that striped out his large farms and divided them amongst his tenants. Lord Lucan has set a noble example which might well be followed by landlords throughout Ireland. We are pleased to learn that he will, as usual, spend the summer months as Castlebar House. Jim McNamara British Isles Family History Society - USA, Newsletter Editor http://www.rootsweb.com/~bifhsusa