School: Ceis (roll number 15342)

Location:
Kesh, Co. Sligo
Teacher:
Proinnsias Ó Hainín
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0186, Page 398

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0186, Page 398

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  1. I heard the following from my uncle whose name and address are, Michael Costello, Larkhill, Keash, Ballymote, Co. Sligo.

    In eighteen hundred and forty seven the cholera fever broke out and this was one of the famine years and was known as "Black Forty-Seven". A strange feature of this fever was that those who contracted it were liable to fatal relapses. Some of those poor people used to creep around while their strength allowed them, and then sit down in a doorway and die. Some set out with the intention of reaching the poorhouse but many died before they reached their destination. The roads leading to poorhouses were covered with corpses. Sometimes, when people in the town opened their doors they found someone lying against it dead. Often whole families died in their houses and the last to survive used to build up the door with stones to prevent dogs
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. hardship (~1,565)
        1. plagues and epidemics (~104)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Maureen Benson
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Carrowmaclenany, Co. Sligo
    Informant
    Michael Costello
    Relation
    Relative (other than parent or grandparent)
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Knocknawhishoge, Co. Sligo