School: Baile na Mín (roll number 14925)
- Location:
- Ballinameen, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Tomás Ó Conchobhair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0238, Page 411
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- XML School: Baile na Mín
- XML Page 411
- XML “Famine Times”
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- The famine period effected our district very much. Some few years before the famine the district was fairly thickly populated but when it came to an end the population was very much decreased.
In the beginning the people noticed blight appearing on the potato stalk. It spread rapidly until very soon a great part of the crop became unfit for use.
At last no food could be found. The people went wild by the ditches devouring birds and wild animals. Then fever and wild diseases set in and consequently a large number of people died.
Raw turnips, weeds and sea weeds were mostly eaten. They boiled wild weeds and eat them without a potato. When the potatoes failed the hens ceased to lay. At length they were forced to sell them and buy a little meal.(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs John Joseph Brennan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Knockglass, Co. Roscommon
