An Easter of nationwide contention
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST TO EASTER SUNDAY, 1945 TO CAPTURE WHAT A TYPICAL DAY WAS LIKE DURING WARTIMES
APRIL 1st 1945 was Easter Sunday and the sixth Easter of the Emergency with no let up in rationing or any additional supplies of rationed/scare items being made available as manufacturing output in Britain was still directed to Allied forces fighting in Europe and in Asia to help achieve final victory. A handful of Irish ships kept the country supplied with essential imports with the cargoes they carried determined by the Department of Supplies. Rationing of a wide range of goods, especially tea, sugar, clothing, petrol, gas and electricity, reductions in the levels of public transport services, and government control over prices and wages, all impacted on day to day life. Behind the scenes there was a very lucrative ‘ Black Market’ in rationed and hard to obtain items for those prepared to pay the exorbitant prices charged by those involved in illegal trade.
What war news appeared in the national and local press, and broadcast on national radio [Raidio Éireann], was carefully controlled by the Censor though no efforts were made to block the reception of B.B.C. radio programmes, especially the nightly news which carried a roundup of the latest war news.
While to some people World War 2 in Europe might appear to have been over, the fighting went on as the Allies, now inside Germany, pressed eastwards towards Berlin while from Poland and Hungary the Red Army advanced westwards towards Berlin with covert instructions from the Russian dictator Stalin to capture it before the Allies reached it with German troops putting stiff resistance against the invading forces in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Fast East the Japanese made Allied forces fight tenaciously for every inch of ground they conceded to them. In Burma the British 14th Army continued its advance against the Japanese forces in that country as did U.S. forces in the Philippines while the stiff resistance they faced on the island of Iwo Jima was an indication of what their forces might have to contend with if they decided to invade mainland Japan.
In Los Alamos, New Mexico, U.S.A., the Manhattan Project - the development of an atomic bomb - was nearing conclusion with scientists unsure if it would work or what would happen when it was detonated with some believing that it would destroy humanity.
Locally, attendances at parades and training sessions of the numerous voluntary organisations had started to fall off as many expected that very soon they would be stood down/disbanded once the war in Europe ended. Since January recruitment to the Local Security Force had ceased with training and parades for its members suspended while other voluntary organisations had stopped taking on new members.
In the run up to Easter, St. Patrick’s Day was busy day in the town. Although no additional public transport was provided that day and strict petrol rationing meant that very cars were on the road, the good summer type weather that day mean that thousands cycled out to Bray resulting in the seafront being packed with day visitors. The most impressive local event that day was an open air Mass in the Carlisle Grounds celebrated by Fr. J.F. McCarthy, C.F., attended by the Army, Local Defence Force, Air Raid Precautions Service, and other voluntary services but not the Local Security Force as it was in semi-stand down mode. After the Mass all the organisations in attendance, numbering approximately 1000, under the command of Comdt. Olaf MacNeill, O/C 5Bn, marched through the streets of the town before returning to the Carlisle Grounds for dismissal. The order of the parade was - Colour Party, Maritime Inscription Corps, the Local Defence Force with Bray District Command Staff under District Leader J. J. Hyland and Companies from Bray, Greystones, Enniskerry, Kilmacanogue, and Newtownmountkennedy, the Air Raid Precautions Service, the Auxiliary Fire Service, and the Irish Red Cross. This was the last occasion that a military parade of this size was seen again in the town. Later that evening Craobh Cualainn of Conradh na Gaedhilge held a St. Patrick’s Day ceilidhe in the Bray Technical School - now the vacant former Cólaiste Ráithín building on the Florence Road.
Work on the Bray Drama Festival for one-act and three-act plays scheduled to commence on May 22nd was under way following a meeting attended by representatives from drama groups in Bray, Shankill, Greystones, Kilmacanogue, Newtownmountkennedy, and Rathdrum. The Festival committee consisted of Rev. Fr. M. Browne, C.C., Bray, who originated the idea, Chairman, Rev. Fr. Brophy, C.C., Kilmacanogue, Vice- Chairman, Mr. Oliver Bradley, member of the Cuala Group, Hon. Secretary, Mr. S. Gaughran, Hon. Treasurer, with Mr. Stanley Illsley as adjudicator. Very Rev. A. Moriarty, P.P., Bray, and Rev. Fr. Browne, presented the committee with two silver cups for the Festival. Funds raised by the Festival would go towards the building of the new Catholic Church in Bray - Our Lady Queen of Peace - which opened in December 1946.
Starting on Monday March 26th, just how scarce resources were was demonstrated with the announcement by the Electricity Supply Board that with effect from that Monday the use of electricity for water heating was to be reduced by 50% and for other purposes, other than motive power, industrial process heating, traction, and public lighting, the 1941 figures would be reduced by 25%. These restrictions were based on 1941 consumption and the figures used on the rations cards issued in 1943. There was no restriction in the amount used for cooking with 100% of the 1941 figure being allowed. Those who refused to comply with the new restrictions faced disconnection. The Electricity Supply Board added that users not brought under the current restrictions were not relieved of their obligation to reduce consumption. It also added that that the supply situation would still be critical for the coming months due to the continuing shortage of coal supplies. Gas consumers were allocated their ration for 1945 based on their 1944 consumption and it was felt by many people that their ration should be based in their 1941 consumption. Owners of hotels and guest houses were particularly aggrieved as they felt it would be hard for them to cater for the thousands of expected holiday visitors.
Later that evening Mr. G. Byrne presided at a meeting of the Bray Urban District Council in Bray Town Hall which adopted an urban rate of 10s., a decrease of 1s. 3d. as against Mr. P. J. Healy, County Manager, estimate of 17s.6d. and a poor rate of 11s. 3d., an increase of 1s., making a total rate of 21s. 3d. in the £ for 1945-1946, making an overall decrease of 3d. in the £ on the previous year. Most of the remainder of the meeting was spent allocating money to various projects for the year ahead which in many cases was lower than the County Manager’s estimate who reminded the meeting of many matters in the township that needed to be remedied but the councillors decided to keep their spending on some items at 1944-1945 expenditure levels while cancelling other items to ensure that they remained within their income levels. The councillor were acutely aware that many people in the town felt that the existing rates were too high and were trying to reflect the wishes of the electorate who wanted their rates to go down rather than up.
Advertising for Easter was almost non-existent in the local papers with very few advertisements for food stuffs, clothing, and other items associated with Easter. Although plenty of money was in circulation, there was not a lot available on which people could spend it on. Rationing meant that people could only buy items that they had sufficient coupons for and inspectors from the Department of Supplies regularly visited traders and shopkeepers to ensure that they were adhering to the rationing regulations and prosecuted them for breaches of these when identified. Most of the advertising centred on dances and entertainment events taking place on Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and later in April.
Two new organisations formed in the town during Holy Week were the Bray & District Canine Society at a meeting in the Royal Hotel which hoped to hold an open show in August. Mr. P. O’Brien was elected Chairman, Mr. W. D. Smyth as Hon. Secretary and Mr. T. M. Cusack as Hon Treasurer. It was also decided to apply for affiliation to the Irish Kennel Club. The other organisation formed was the Bray Chess Club at a meeting in Bray Technical School at which Mr. James Larkin, Jun., was elected President with a committee of Mr. R. J. Connolly, Mr. I. Fuchs, Mr. R. H. Nicholson, and Mr. W. J. Byrne.
With most of the population existing on very restrictive diet low in sugar and fats, many people had become under nourished or suffered from conditions caused by the bland and high fibre diet that had to exist on. Some of the medicinal products advertise, of dubious quality, and making spurious claims, included - For infants, mothers were encouraged to use Sister Lauras Food ‘ To make him strong and health, Baby needs FRESH cow’s milk but he cannot always digest it properly. Sister Lauras Food is a simple cereal product which modifies the milk, breaks up the casein and makes it completely digestible by even the most delicate infants. If breastmilk fails, Sister Lauras ensures baby a complete and nourishing diet.’ Available from all chemists - 1s.3d.and 2s.6d.
A product aimed at women was Clarkes Blood Mixture which claimed that ‘At Springtime it has never failed her yet’ because ‘it removes all blemishes from the skin and lays the foundation of a clear and health complexion’ and ‘ by purifying the blood it gets to the root of the complaint and is the most reliable treatment for Blood and Skin Disorders, Rheumatism, Blotches, Rashes, Sores and many other SKIN COMPLAINTS. It will not fail YOU.’ Available from Chemists and Stores in Liquid and Tablet form.
Another advertisement for this product aimed at the general public claimed that Clarkes Blood Mixture for Blood and Skin Complaints was recommended in the treatment of Rheumatism, Lumbago, Stiff and Painful Joints, Boils, Sores, Rashes, Pimples, and