School: Cullahill (B.), Rathdowwney (roll number 13136)
- Location:
- Cullahill, Co. Laois
- Teacher: P. Ó Reachtagáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0830, Page 162
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- (continued from previous page)In the village of Cullohill there was a stirabout house where the hungry people used to go every night for a quart of stirabout.
The potatoes were sowed in six-sod ridges, some of which are still to be seen.
The population of Ireland before the famine amounted to almost nine millions while the population after the famine fell to about four millions.
In the year after the famine the Government brought seed potatoes to Ireland from foreign countries so that all people would not die. The Government also built houses around the country and put servants in them to make porridge for the poor people. A short distance from this school there are two very high banks one on each side of the main road called "Meehan's banks" and at that time there was no road there only a big bank. The Government paid men of this district to cut away the hill between these banks in order to make a road.
This money which the workers earned enabled them to buy some provisions. Indian meal was also given by the Government.
The people also had to eat leaves of(continues on next page)
