School: Dunsallagh, Sráid na Cathrach (roll number 12860)
- Location:
- Dún Salach, Co. an Chláir
- Teacher: Patrick Walsh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0622, Page 239
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- This district was thickly inhabited before the bad times. Each family had a house and plot. The plot was tilled with potatoes which was the staple food of the people.The crops grew as usual but before they were fully ripe they were struck down by the blight -- an unknown disease up to then.The potatoes were dug and pitted in the usual way, but after a short time the pits began to come in. This caused the owners to examine them when to their dismay they found their potatoes like jelly. No amount of care could save them.Food ran scarce and the poor people were unable to buy substitutes for the potato.Towards the end of the famine there was a hostel set up near Miltown Malbay to house the fever-stricken.As they died, they were allowed to remain unburied until the undertaker had a full load. A large grave was made and it is said that the corpses were dumped together and covered up without coffin or shroud.It sometimes happened that the undertaker took patients who were not dead. There is a story told about a man who was put in with a number of corpses(continues on next page)
- Informant
- People in the district
