School: Creach na mBearna

On this page

1. The Year of the Bad Times (continued)

   

   Share Share Post

   (continued from previous page)

   I used hear them tell that the famine was followed by fever that carried the people off in a few days. Many persons died by the roadside and at the backs of ditches. There are very many places pointed out in this district where a person who died from the famine was buried.
   It was not usual then to bring the dead to the burial ground or cemetery. The reason given was that the living were not able to carry them. When I was a small child I remember making a journey with an aunt of mine who was an elderly woman then. At two particular spots near the road side, she stooped and took up a small stone from the road and threw it on to a small mound in the field near the road. When she did this the second time I asked her the reason why she threw the stone over the ditch. She said, a

   (continues on next page)

   

   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

   Leo Layden

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Derrinisky, Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   Mrs Christie

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   60

   Address

   Arigna, Co. Roscommon