School: Coolavin (roll number 10422)

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1. The Great Famine

   

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   Before the years 1841-1847 the Irish people especially the Catholics, were bound under very severe laws made by the English Government. Their food consisted of potatoes, salt and milk. They sowed a large crop of oats each year. This, when ripe, they sold at the markets to be exported to a foreign country. With the money received for the corn, they paid to be landlord the enormous rent then imposed on them.

   However, during the years mentioned, the struggle for life, in this district, now became a very tedious one. The potato - crop - their only food - failed completely. The blight, of which the people of that generation were quite ignorant, attached the roots of the stalk as it was beginning to thrive, and immediately left it useless. The people had no remedy to prevent this terrible disease, and so they suffered the consequences. They were left to starve. Many of them died by the way - side with nettles in their mouths, because of their weeds, to ease their great pang of hunger.

   Indian meal, which was until that time unknown to Irish people, was then doled out in scanty quantities

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
         1. the great famine (~4,013)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Mc Hugh

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Monasterredan, Co. Sligo

   Informant

   Mrs Mc Hugh

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   51

   Address

   Monasterredan, Co. Sligo