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  3. Castletown

School: Castletown

Location:
Castletown, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Owen Maguire
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 301

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 301

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  3. XML “Famine Days”
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  1. Famine Days (continued)

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    assisted the poor people dying on the side of the road with cholera + brought them into his house. He often said that the year before the famine the people had such a surplus of potatoes that no matter where you would go you would find the ditches full of potatoes.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit

  2. Famine Days

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    In the year 1847 the famine effected Castletown very much. The blight came on the potatoes and they rotted in the ground. The poor people suffered mostly as the potato was their staple food. Mr Hopkins of Rockfield who lived where Mr Nicholson lives now used to feed upwards of 40 famine stricken people every day. Many families went to America from this district. One of these were Farellys of Callincarry. One of their grand-children, Mr J. A. Farrelly is now Postmaster General in the U.S.A. This district was more thickly populated before the famine.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit

  3. Famine Days

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    Nearly half the families of this district emigrated to America during the famine years. My ancestors at that time owned a farm at Ricetown and they done their best to keep the place but the Agent wanted it for another man. This man was called The Gombeen Man. He had a few pounds and he bought all the corn he could get and sold it to the hungry people at a hundred times more than he pad for it. He bribed the Agent for this farm at Ricetown. The Agent came
    (continues on next page)
    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
    Legga Farrelly
    Gender
    Unknown
    Informant
    Mrs P. Farrelly
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    48
    Address
    Leggagh, Co. Meath