School: Ballyhaise (2)

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1. The Famine

   

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   Long ago in eighteen forty six, in the time of the famine, people had nothing to eat, and they used to make Indian Meal porridge in Ballyhaise. It was made at the old Tan-yard. When the people were going for it, they used to bring a can. Then it would be divided between the family, and sometimes there wouldn't be enough for them all, and some of them would get none.
   It was a terrible time during the famine. People died of starvation, and they could get nothing hardly to eat. They were found dead every day, and they were never buried. They had no crops, for the want of rain, and they had no animals for they all died, because there was nothing for them to eat. There was no work to employ the people and there was no money to be got. Some people worked at the tan-yard, and some made baskets of straw, but they never got money for working, but they got Indian Meal porridge instead. The government provided the Indian Meal.
   There were more people living in the district, than there are now. People still point out sites of houses, then occupied,

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Carrie Oliver

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan