School: Ballynarry

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1. My Townland

   

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   My name is Sheamus Smyth. I live in the townland of Capragh. It is in the parish of Ballymachugh and in the barony of Clonmahons. There are four families in Capragh. The names of them are ÷ Smyth, Sheridan, Leahy, and Chapman. Two of the houses are slated, one is tiled, and the fourth is thatched. On an average there are about five people in each house. It is in the district of Kilnaleck. The townland of Capragh about three miles distance from the nearest town, which is Kilmaleck.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. The Famine

   

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   The great Irish famine occurred in the years 46-47. It was caused by the blight that destroyed the potato crop in the summer of '45 and again in '46. About one million people died from hunger, or of disease which came from the famine. The Irish people's main food had been potatoes, so that instead of potatoes they had to kill the donkeys that served them on their little farms and eat them. Priests, after going on their rounds all day administering Extreme Unction often, themselves went without supper to bed. A brave Protestant minister took off his shirt and put is on a fever patient. The famine also caused a great emigration to America. According to the Irish history the record number of deaths on the ships that were carrying the eimigrants were ÷ The "Larch" had 440, and 108 died; The "Queen" had 473 and 137 died; The "Avon" had 552 and 236 died; and it is said that one ship carrying 600 less than one houndred survived.

   

   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)
   2. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Sheamus Smyth

   Gender

   Male