School: Castletowngeoghegan (C.) (roll number 2093)
- Location:
- Baile Chaisleán na nGeochagán, Co. na hIarmhí
- Teacher: C. Ní Chonaire
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0734, Page 462
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- XML “Famine Times”
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- Many tragic stories are told in this district about the Great Famine of 1846-47. It affected this district greatly. The people unfortunately left themselves dependent upon the potato crop for food and the result of the failure of this crop was starvation among the people. The population in this district was then almost double what it is now. About two thousand people are estimated to have died of hunger or of disease as result of the Famine, while many more sailed in emigrant ships to Canada, the United States and Scotland to escape death from hunger at home. In those dread Famine years the hunger-stricken and fever-stricken people died not only in their houses, but on the roads, in the fields and in the ditches. Very many unable to pay the rent which the Landlords demanded were thrown out of their homes to perish and die by the wayside. Then the Landlords took over their little houses and gardens and gave them to some of their English friends. Many houses which were then occupied are now in ruins.(continues on next page)
