School: Curratavy

Location:
Corr an tSamhaidh, Co. an Chabháin
Teacher:
E. Ó Gallchobhair
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0964, Page 053

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0964, Page 053

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  1. XML School: Curratavy
  2. XML Page 053
  3. XML “Famine Times”

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  1. As the famine left bad marks after it all over Ireland, it left no less here. It is said that nearly two hundred families left Glan, between dying with hunger and leaving the country by means of it. As the people had nothing to eat only potatoes and buttermilk, when the "blight" came on the potatoes they had nothing to eat at all. This disease was never seen before and it was known how to put an end to it. At the time the potatoes are sown like grain here. During the second year, the people stuck the "growings" of the diseased potatoes in the ground, thinking that they would grow all right for the next year. But this only spread the disease much more. A man living in Derrylahan stuck the "growings" in his garden. It is believed that the disease is in that ground yet.
    When the famine was at its worst, the govern-ment gave relief grants to the people. A bag of oatmeal was distributed weekly in [?] and roads were being made. The women went out to break stones, and often when they went home again, they got their children dying with hunger. In December, when ice and snow covered the ground, the women of the district were breaking stones in Carraig-na-grow. After a few days they died on the heap of stones. The heap is to be seen yet and the the bones of the people amid the stones.
    In every townland in Glangevlin there was nearly twice as many families living in it before the famine as there are now. In Bunrynflynn there were over sixteen families
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. am
      1. tréimhsí staire sonracha (~25)
        1. an gorta mór (~4,013)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Róise Ní Samhrain
    Gender
    Female
    Informant
    James Mc Govern
    Relation
    Unknown
    Gender
    Male