School: Boston (roll number 10212)

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1. Famine Times (continued)

   

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   in America who gave them money to pay their fare to America. There was a very big population in this district before the Famine When the Famine was nearly over seed potatoes were sent from Scotland and England to Dublin and were distributed to the people. They were sown in big wide ridges. Boiled turnips and nettles was the only meal that the real poor people had. At that time if a person was caught stealing even a turnip he would be put in jail. A poor woman who lived at Milltown Cross during this period had a daughter who stole three turnips from a big farmer or Landlord named Cooper who lived nearby. Coopers Hill is still called to a height on the road about one eight of a mile from Milltown Cross. She was brought to court and got three months in jail. On her release her whole family left the district and were never heard tell of again.
   it is said that the Famine was a punishment on the people because they made little of their surplus potatoes the previous years. They put them in the lands for manuring or top dressing. It is also said locally that a Priest advised the

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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

   Bridie Heffernan

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Address

   Feighcullen, Co. Kildare