Dungarvan Observer February 1918
Lismore Coal Fund
"The poor will
always be with us", is an old and true saying, but somehow or other they
have appeared to be forgotten this season by our wealthy friends. From time immemorial it has been the custom
of traders to give presents at the festive season, but in 1916 some or we should
say the majority of them failed to do so.
The excuse given, of course, was the war, which was a legitimate
one. On that occasion a collection was
made and a quantity of firewood secured gratis, we understand, from the Duke of
Devonshire. Carters had to be paid for
distributing some, and the result was poor helpless women had huge logs of
firewood delivered to their doors for days.
It was then stated that this was a ruse of the traders to discontinue
the custom of Christmas present, but we cannot vouch for the truth of that
assertion. The fact however remains, at
1917 Christmas neither presents or firewood had been given, and it is to this
that we intend to chiefly allude. The district
of Dungarvan set us a worthy example in this respect-when they collected £163
odd and had distributed over 63 tons of coal to the deserving poor. When are we to make a move here. What are our City Fathers doing? Are there not
tons of timber still in the locality knocked by the recent storm? Surely the public men of the town are not
going to allow the occasion to pass by.
The traders also, we are certain, will not be content until the wants of
the poor are satisfied. Any movement
initiated with the object of planning a coal or timber fund for the poor will
have our hearty co-operation. Since the
above was written a Jumble Sale in aid of the coal and timber fund organised by
kind ladies in the district, has been held at the Courthouse. The sale was a splendid
success, but the amount realised was nothing compared with what it should be if
the traders co-operated the same as they did last year.