My great grandfather James Parkes lived through the famine years. He was a lad of twenty when the famine first began. My father remembers him well sitting on the hob telling him all about the famine. He told him that he was one whole day digging potatoes and all he could get was a small canfull of good spuds. During those years when the potatoes rotted the people set up a big pot in which they boiled porridge for the poor. He told him that there was a soup house in Louth. Local people ? called Dowdals used to go to this house. The other people stuck it out and didn't want any of the free soup. The Dowdals were afterwards called the souper Dowdals because they always went to Louth for their soup. Treasa Ní Muireadhaig Fuaireas an méid seo óm athair. Séamus Ó Muireadhaig (60) Baile na gCloc Corcríochach Co. LughaidhAdele Commins