School: Radharc na Sionainne, Lios Uí Chathasaigh (roll number 10741)

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1. The Bad Times

   

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   The blight came on the potatoes when they were growing. It appeared on the stalks at first. They got black at first and when they were dug they were all rot. The English Government sent for Indian meal to the Irish. They sent two or three pounds of it to every one. The people died of hunger. They were often found dead by fences. Emigration was free to America and the most of the people went there. Some of them died on the way. There was a man got dead in Cragg Hill. He was buried in the graveyard in Cill Ruadh.

   The people were as hungry as they ate nettles and grass and the raw meal the English gave them. A protestant named Brenden Scott that was dividing the meal to the people here around. He lived in Kildysart and the people went to him for their share. There were twelve houses in For-fuar Beag alone that time. There were sixteen in Baile No and eleven in Beann Dubh. Now there are about half as much in every division. All the other (-) emigrated to America in the bad times.

   Jack Neenan's father died in Crown with the hunger. Two men died near Greygrove bridge. One was brought to Kilmihill and buried and the other was buried near the bridge in Deerpark. Hannon a poor scholar was got dead in Breens hill. Siobhán Bán lived in Frure. She used to kill calves and sell the veal at a shilling a pound. She used to go three or four miles and buy calves, and carry them on her back home. A man from Frure used go to to Ennis for a creel of turnips. He would have them all sold at two pence each before he would reach home. Fitzgerald the Minister lived in Sorrilisland at that time. He used to give out free soup to the people. They would have to tell him that they would change their religion.

   

   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

   Peggy Conway

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Furroor, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Michael Meaney

   Gender

   Male