School: Durrus, Bantry (roll number 13023)

Location:
Durrus, Co. Cork
Teacher:
L. Blennerhassett
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0285, Page 248

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0285, Page 248

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  3. XML “The Famine Times”

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  1. The Famine Times
    The following are stories got from elderly people about the famine of 1846-47. There was a soup-house in this district in Beamish's farm at Ardrogeena, Durrus. The soup was made in large pots and given out gratis to the needy. There was a regular staff in the soup house who distributed the soup throughout the whole day.
    Monetary help came from America and Spain and food came in boats from England. Their chief food consisted of potatoes and fish and they also ate boiled Indian meal with new turnips cut into it. Some people at those times were very charitable. There is an account of one very charitable person - Mrs O'Donovan who nursed, cared who fed the people who were in want. She attended to the need of others to such an extent that her own people faced poverty. Later she became so poor that she was unable to pay the rent and eviction was her only earthy reward for her kindness.
    Food came in boats from England and was stored up in a store-house, the ruins of which are still in the district in the downland of Friendly Cove. None except the wealthy were able to purchase it, and it is said that it was thrown out to sea afterwards.
    In the year 1878 there was another famine, known ...
    (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
    Susanna J. Pyburn
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Dunbeacon, Co. Cork
    Informant
    John Pyburn
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Dunbeacon, Co. Cork