School: Baile an Doire (roll number 16410)

Location:
Ballinderry, Co. Galway
Teacher:
Tomás Ó Maolmhichíl

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The Famine of 1847

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0021, Page 0260

Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. See copyright details »

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The great famine occurred in the year 1847. A blight came over the potato crop and ruined it on the people. The Irish people depended mostly on that crop.
There was nothing left for the people but starvation. Some of the people left their homes and wandered through the country. The people began to eat grass like wild animals they were so hungery.
Sickness began to follow and the people were dying by thousands. There was no time to make coffins they were dying so fast. They were even burying them before they died at all, so that they would be out of their way.
Once a doctor ordered a man to be buried as he said that he was dead. When the man was about to be put into the coffin he said
"Do not bury me for I am not dead yet."
"Your a liar the doctor knows best"
And the man was buried alive.

Informant
Mrs Cullinan
Gender
female
Address
Corrofin, Co. Galway
Language
English