School: Baile Mhic Dáibhid (Ballydevitte) (roll number 3854)

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1. Famine Times (continued)

   

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   The Great Famine of eighteen-forty six and forty-seven affected every district throughout Ireland. Owing to its effect in this district, which had been densely populated before that time the population afterwards decreased, most of the people dying. Some of these who had some money saved went to America. There are no ruins of houses in the neighbourhood, which were occupied at that time. The potato crop failed owing to the effects of the “blight” which first appeared in the year eighteen-forty-five. The white rot was very prevalent and caused the potatoes to rot in the ground. Potatoes were the chief food of the Irish for more than a century before and the failure of the crop left them without food. Oatmeal was used instead of potatoes At last the Government began to establish relief measures. It sent large qualities of oatmeal to the various districts to be distributed among the people. Protestant ministers were generally the distributors and gave larger quantities of meal to those of their own denomination than to the Catholics. Very, often, damaged meal full of maggots, was sold at fabulous prices to the people, but in spite of this the poor people were very glad to get it “Stirabout” was often distributed among the people also. The government sent a large boiler to each “workhouse” Each boiler was shaped like a kettle and had a

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   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 J. Muldoon

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   12

   Address

   Doonan, Co. Donegal

   Informant

   Seosaibh O' Maoldúin

   Relation

   Unknown

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   50

   Occupation

   Saor adhmaid

   Address

   Doonan, Co. Donegal