School: Tobar Rua (roll number 15427)
- Location:
- Toberroe East, Co. Galway
- Teacher: Eibhlín, Bean Uí Mhuireagáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0016, Page 185
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- XML “The Famine Times”
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- (continued from previous page)Anybody who had any potatoes to sow the following year were awarded by a fine crop. The people died of hunger and of course their half-starved relatives were not able to bury them properly. The graveyards were filled to overflowing and many people were buried on the roadside or in the fields. The poor houses and work-houses were also filled and the people were turned away to die on the roadside. Disease spread with the famine and those who did not die from starvation died from disease. Many people are buried along the Keelogues road. One little bush grows on the roadside and is called "Sgeachach Máirín Ní Eacha" where an old woman was buried. She was found dead on the roadside and some neighbours buried her and planted a little bush on the grave.So great was the hunger of the people that they stole food to try to live. Their food consisted of Indian Meal 'stirabout' in those times. One man who was very hungry boiled some 'stirabout' and when boiled left it on the windowsill to cool. After a few minutes he went outside to eat it but it was stolen.
