Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 14 November 2013
Technical Memories (Part 61) –Re-Rationing Éire
Many people contributed to the success of the Crawford Municipal Technical Institute through the years. The obituaries in the Cork Examiner and Evening Echo on 20 November 1945 for Dean Patrick Sexton, a member of the governing committee of the institute reveal a learned man who placed a huge emphasis on role of education in society. One of his greatest achievements was the building of St Patrick’s National School for boys on Ballyhooly Road, considered at the time as one of the most modern and best equipped schools in the country.
At least once a week Dean Sexton visited the four national schools in his parish of St Patrick’s. He taught the children music for the mass. He was also a founder member of the Christian Brothers’ College Past Pupils’ Union and was Vice-President of that body. The Dean was one of those who introduced the Catholic Boy Scout and Catholic Girl Guide movements to Cork. He was chairman of St Patrick’s Scout Committee and Vice President of the Scout Diocesan Council since 1930, and he was largely responsible for the campaigning and fundraising for a fine Scout headquarters on Summerhill North.
A look at the news stories around November 1945 reveals a country trying to rebuild its own economy – to move forward from a time of rationing. During a speech by Seán Lemass TD, Minister for Industry at the Retail, Grocers, Dairy and Allied Trades Association in Dublin, he pointed out that a fall in the cost of food would not be effective unless there was also a reduction in the prices of fuel and clothing. Butter and sugar rationing would be continued into 1946 whilst the importation of tea was governed by British suppliers who were still experiencing export problems; According to Lemass “the three main essential foodstuffs still scarce are butter, sugar and tea…the retention of the present six ounce butter ration for the whole of the present winter instead of a temporary increase to eight ounces for three months as in last winter is due to our decision, of which the Dáil and the public unanimously approved to ship the largest possible quantity to Europe in relief of stress arising from the war”.
Similar discussions on garages being able to fix cars and petrol rationing were discussed in the local newspapers. On 30 October 1945 the Evening Echo ran the story that the prospect of the early resumption of private motoring was being warmly welcomed by proprietors of garages. One proprietor told one reporter that quite a number of private owners had already taken out licences for private cars that had not been driven since a prohibition order against petrol and gas use from 1942. They were ensured that their particular vehicles were going to have first claim on the garages for tuning up for the road. One of the greatest difficulties of all was that of the supply of batteries; the vast lying-up period made them useless or either through neglect on the part of the owners.
Basic petrol rations were restored to private motorists from 19 November 1945 and an extension carried out of bus services up to 11pm in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Galway. The monthly ration for private cars was eight gallons, for cars under 10 hp, ten gallon for cars of 10hp and upwards but less than 16 hp and upwards. For motorcycles, the allowance was two gallons for a lightweight bicycle and four gallons for a heavy weight bicycle. Doctors, clergymen and persons who were on special professional allowances were allowed to retain their allowances. Another interesting note comes from a mention on the 22 November 1945 in the Cork Examiner and the work of erecting the first traffic islands in Cork City. The bases of some of the demolished air raids shelters on the Grand Parade formed the foundation for the first of these islands.
In this time of rebuilding there was a need for engineers and for construction personnel right not only across Europe but also across Ireland as the country attempted to plan ahead. Certainly the Crawford Municipal Technical Institute was well placed to respond to these needs. For example at a Cork Harbour Board meeting on 8 November 1945, discussion took place on the city’s quays and wharves and how they had outlived their “period of usefulness”. It was proposed to embark on a large scheme of reconstruction and re-organisation – it was noted that the methods of handling cargoes were deemed antiquated and obsolete. The chairman, T. O’Shea argued; “we lag behind Dublin, Limerick, and Waterford, and we are a long way behind Belfast. If we are to survive as an overseas port, we must rebuild our deep-water quays. We must be able to swing ships at Cork, and we must have faster and more up-to-date methods for discharging cargoes”. Days later at the annual meeting of the Cork Chamber of Commerce, on 12 November 1945, a proposal was discussed regarding calls to government to build both aerodrome and seadrome facilities to be made available in the neighbourhood of Cork Harbour – as alternatives to those in existence at Rineanna and Foynes on the Shannon Estuary and Collinstown in Dublin.
To be continued…
Caption:
717a. Ration book, 1944 (source: Clare County Library)