School: Slane (B.) (roll number 4851)
- Location:
- Slane, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Séamus Ó Cuánaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0713, Page 061
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- XML School: Slane (B.)
- XML Page 061
- XML “Famine Times”
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- The famine of (1846-47) is looked back upon as being one of the most terrible events in the history of Ireland. There are still a few people alive who remember it. But they do not like speaking of it as they say it is too horrible to recall.
What really caused the famine was a failure of the potatoe crop as they were all blighted in the fields and the few that remained rotted in the pits. Corn was also scarce and what little there was was taken in lieu of rent so that all the poorer class were facing starvation. Owing to heavy rain the bogs were flooded and so there was no fuel for fires.
There are many stories told of the hardships endured. But there is one in particular which shows how strong the spirit of faith was in Ireland. There was one family who were very hard hit by the famine, they had neither potatoes bread or fire. But as it happened to be Christmas Eve an uncle of theirs promised to come from about ten miles off with a little food to help them over Christmas. The eldest child went out with her grandfather(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Robert Tallon
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Furzyhill, Co. Meath
