School: Clonmellon (B.) (roll number 9500)
- Location:
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: P. Ó Droighneáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 068
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- XML School: Clonmellon (B.)
- XML Page 068
- XML “Old Forts”
- XML “The Famine”
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On this page
- (continued from previous page)forts are in view of each other.
- The Famine occurred in 1847 or as the old people called it afterwards "Black '47". In 1846 the potato crop was very plentiful, so plentiful that the people emptied them into the dykes in Spring. They were thought to be worthless.
Then in the following year 1847 a big change came. The entire crop of potatoes failed. They became very scarce. The wheat crop, too, got affected with a disease known as Smut. It was unfit food.
The people had to turn on rye, and black bread. It was the chief food. Few people could buy it and the result was that many people died of hunger.
The Government gave food. This consisted of porridge made from maize meal. The food in this locality was cooked in the Market House in a very large pot (still to be seen).
Then the Government opened up what was known as the Public Works. This work consisted of sinking the little rivers and digging the hills out of the road. This sinking of the hills on the roads can still be seen. In 1848 the Government gave free seed potatoes, a very good variety called the "Scotch Downs" till the blight rotted them and then came the "Champions"(continues on next page) - Collector
- Michael Mc Mahon
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Tom Carty
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
