Stories of the Famine, Evictions, etc. There was no member in our family that could tell anything about the famine. But my grandmother was often told numerous tales of the famine, and its effects. She said the first thing that failed on the poor people, was the potato crop and as they had no money laid by for the rainy day, poverty, and hunger soon found its way. There was a village near Lough Corrib called Knockbluff, and as the land was wet, and swampy the crops were hopeless. The people had nothing to eat but to go out digging for herbs. These herbs were called Bliskáins. They used to wash these, and roast them in the fire, and eat them with a pinch of salt. Some families were not affected, as much as others. Some could afford to peel the potatoes, and the turnips. While others would come and gather the peels and eat them and were very glad to get them. The rye grew fairly well for them, but it did not last long, when it was the only thing they had. It is awful hard to eat a cake made of rye, as it is very hard and heavy, but the people did not mind. Three men died in that village from starvation, and all that could be done was to bury them in their clothes. They could not afford coffins. There were two brothers, and one of them had full and plenty, while the other had nothing, so this day the poor man came to the rich brother andAisling Ní RaghallaighAisling Ní Raghallaigh