School: Clonmellon (B.) (roll number 9500)
- Location:
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: P. Ó Droighneáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 155
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- The great famine which came in eighteen-forty-seven caused many lives to be lost. It was known by the name "The Black Famine of forty seven. The famine was caused by a failure in the potato crop in the ground and any that came safe from the blight decayed in the pits. Many people died of hunger. The government gave the poor people food which consisted of porridge made from Maize meal and it was boiled in a large pot called "The famine pot" The government also gave some seed potatoes free called
Scotch Downs. The porridge was boiled in a large pot in the market yard and each family went there every day for the share. It was distributed according to the number of people in each family
- Collector
- Seán D'Arsaigh
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Tomás Ó Cartaigh
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
- The part of the Kells road that runs through Killua was made by the government as relief work during the famine of eighteen forty seven and so also was the part of the Delvin Road, that runs through a big hill and that part was known afterwards known as the "The Spilt Hills" because the hill was split in two. There was an old mass path from Cloran to Clonmellon(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Seán D'Arsaigh
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Tomás Ó Cartaigh
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
