School: Swords (B.) (roll number 755)
- Location:
- Swords, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: A. Hamill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0789, Page 139
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- The old people of this district often talk about the Great Famine of 1846-47. Very few of these old people remember the famine they only remember what their parents told them about it. It was the Greatest famine ever recorded in Irish history. in this district many people died of hunger and disease. In that time this district was very thickly populated. The famine was caused by the failure of the potato crop which was caused by the blight. The blight is a disease which rots the leaves and stalk and then spreads to the potato itself which rots away until there is nothing left. The only food the people could get was Indian meal which they got at a reduced price. people who could not afford to buy Indian meal had to eat raw turnips, weeds and anything they could get. This went on for a time until the English government sent food and saved many lives.
- Collector
- Thomas Dooley
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballymadrough, Co. Dublin
- Informant
- Thomas Dooley
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 46
- Address
- Ballymadrough, Co. Dublin
