School: Derrynananta

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1. Famine Times

   

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   The Irish Famine was chiefly due to three causes; 1. the most of the people lived chiefly on potatoes- it was their staple food, 2. the failure of the potato crop, 3. much of the grain of the country was exported before the famine set in. In eighteen forty five there was a partial failure of the potato crop. On that account the famine was not so severe in eighteen forty six there was a total failure of the potato crop and the real pinch of the famine was in eighteen forty seven. The stalks of the potatoes withered before the potatoes matured, and subsequently they decayed in the ground. In this locality owing to its distance from the big towns little of the grain was exported. In consequence the famine was not so severe because the people had the grain to fall back on. And though they had hardly enough to eat there was sufficient to sustain life. As a result very few died from famine.
   In eighteen forty seven a number of people from far-off places like flocked to the district on the verge of starvation, some of them almost dying.
   There is a story told that one evening a man and a woman came staggering to a house where an old

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   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 Mc Govern

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Moneensauran, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   James De Lacy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   81

   Address

   Moneensauran, Co. Cavan