School: Athlone (Mixed) (roll number 16092)
- Location:
- Baile Átha Luain, Co. na hIarmhí
- Teacher: T. Hunter
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0748, Page 087
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- XML Page 087
- XML “Famine Times”
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- The great famine did affect the district of Athlone. Hundreds of people died and the population was diminished a good deal. There are a great many ruins of houses near the Roscommon road which were inhabited before the famine. The blight was a black colour. It was in the potatoes when they were in the ground, in pits, and when they were growing. People dug deep down in the ground for seed potatoes about the size of a marble for the following year. People got seed potatoes from England where the famine was over. The people ate water-cress, clover, wild-honey and sometimes home-made bread when the food failed. Some people emigrated to America to get a living during the famine. The Government gave some relief to the people at the place where Garden Vale cinema is now. A pound of Indian meal was given to every person. During the famine the cholera(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mr Francis
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Baile Átha Luain, Co. na hIarmhí
- Informant
- Mr W. Taylor
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Baile Átha Luain, Co. na hIarmhí
- Informant
- Paddy Burns
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Bunnavally, Co. na hIarmhí
