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School: Castletown

Location:
Castletown, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Owen Maguire
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 300

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 300

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  3. XML “Famine Days”
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  1. Famine Days

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    The famine of 1847 effected this district very much. The district was very thickly populated before it. The year before the famine it was too much potatoes the people had as they were throwing them away. The blight came on the potatoes and the leaves withered on them. The people even went out into the fields and pulled turnips and ate them raw. The people died in great numbers. People in these parts still talk of the famine and the failure of the potato crop. The Government relief reached this district. The potatoes all rotted in the ground. The eating of the raw turnips brought on the cholera.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
        1. the great famine (~4,013)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Peggie Smith
    Gender
    Female
    Informant
    Mr P. Smyth
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    55
    Address
    Castletown, Co. Meath

  2. Famine Days

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    There were more people in this district before the famine than there is now. I can point out where there were houses before the Famine and there is no sign of them now. The blight came on the potatoes the same of as it comes now but the people not knowing what it was could get no cure for it. The seed for the next year came over from England and distributed amongst the poor. They were planted in the ordinary way. The Government supplied them but the Guardians in each district had to get a guarantee that they would be paid the next year when they would sell their surplus potatoes. My father remembered the famine - he often
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
        1. the great famine (~4,013)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Dan Ryan
    Gender
    Male
    Informant
    Mr D. Ryan
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    54
    Address
    Castletown, Co. Meath