School: Ballyhaise

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1. Famine Times

   

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   A man in this district had the contract of burying the dead. He made a coffin so when he put the dead person in it they would be brought to the grave and when the end of the coffin would be slipped open the dead person would drop out. In this way he used the same coffin for several people.
   People died in great numbers after the famine from a disease that swept every district. Government relief did reach this district but people were so weak they couldn't work. However at that time the "New Line" a road running from the Cavan road to Butlersbridge was made. The only potatoes, before the famine were called the "Red Rock". The year after the famine potatoes were sent by Irish people in Scotland to their friends in Ireland.
   They were called "champions" and this was the first time they ever reached this country. In Tay Lane just outside the village are the remains of an old house still to be seen. During and after the famine Ballyhaise was larger than it is now. There were twenty six public houses and it had a population of over twho hundred. It was a scattered village. Houses were here and there and not as they are now a day. All the house at that time were thatched. At that time there were several streets in Ballyhaise. "Main Street, Upper and Lower Street, Market Street, Pensioners Row."

   Patrick Flood
   Aged 14 on June the 18th 1938
   Got from Patrick Flood Aged 65 years

   

   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

   Patrick Flood

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   14

   Informant

   Patrick Flood

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   65