School: Mount Talbot (roll number 14056)

Location:
Mount Talbot, Co. Roscommon
Teacher:
M. Ó Héimhthigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0267, Page 201

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0267, Page 201

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  1. XML School: Mount Talbot
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  3. XML “Famine Times”

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  1. The old people have stories about the Great Famine (1846 - '49). It didn't affect this district very much. This district was greatly populated before this time. People still point out sites of houses then occupied and now in ruins.
    Some people say that the blight came up from the ground, others say it fell like dew, and others again say that it grew on the leaves. The potatoes weren't formed when the blight came, and when the potato - stalk decayed the tuber decayed as a consequence.
    The potatoes were sown broadcast like grain. The people ate turnips instead of potatoes. They used to go into the fields and eat the turnips raw. A great number of people died on the roadside.
    Government relief reached
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
        1. the great famine (~4,013)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Eibhlín Ní Fhíneachtaigh
    Gender
    Female
    Informant
    A. Finerty
    Age
    50
    Address
    Mount Talbot, Co. Roscommon