School: Clochar na Trócaire, Leac an Anfa, Cathair na Mart
- Location:
- Leckanvy, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: An tSr. Treasa
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0138, Page 058
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- Famine TimesIn the middle of the year 1846 the potatoes rotted. The poeople had nothing to eat as they depended solely on the potatoes. The County Council started relief work and the Thornhill Road from the public road to the sea was started. The wages were sixpence a day or a pound of yellow meal and their dinner. A lot of people died from hunger. When breaking stones for the road they used to drop dead over the heap of stones. Others died in their own houses. Sometimes when found dead the houses were pulled down over them to act as grave and coffin. Some of the corpses were not buried at all.
The next year the people sowed another crop of potatoes. They grew up in fine healthy stalks but the blight fell on them again and they all rotted. The next year - the spring of 1848, the priest advised the people off the alter not to sow potatoes at all. One man named Walsh didn't like the advice and he sowed an acre of potatoes. He lived in Thornhill and owned Curragh Mor` with five extra acres. He got a few men and gave them their dinner and supper while they were sowing the spring. When the potatoes were sown they dug an acre and a half of soil and sowed barley in it. Every blade that grew had two heads on it. When the barley was ripe he cut it and threshed it. Then(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Tommie Gavin
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Thomas Walsh
- Relation
- Grandparent
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- c. 80
- Address
- Carrowmacloughlin, Co. Mayo
