School: Dún Gar (Frenchpark) (roll number 3961)

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1. The Labouring Man (continued)

   

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   labour were the landlords. The big farmers in this place were really part of the landlord class - on the wrong side of the blanket. Hughey
   McDermott died two years ago at the age of 91. He began working at fifteen years of age at twopence a day. When he was 18 he had fourpence. He married on eightpence a day. In the year 1915 he was principal ploughman with the noble wage of seven shillings a week, one shilling a week more than the other seventeen to twenty-five could earn. Mike Hopkins whom I have already mentioned never earned even the six shillings for he retired or was retired some twenty five years ago at the age of 80 on his becoming entitled to the old age pension. The cope wall of the demesne over 4 miles long - there were 17 miles of masonry walls - was built when the
   mason got fourpence and his mate twopence a day. Jim Dyer who was the mason in my time never got more than one and three pence. Winter and summer the bell was rung at seven in the morning and work ceased when it was rung again at seven in the evening. Every man employed had to assemble in the stable yard, like soldiers on a parade ground, in the steward's presence. I often wondered at what time must poor fellows who lived some miles
   away have got up in the morning for of course there were very few clocks or watches. But there was another more unfair form of labour. This was the duty work. The small farmers on the Bella part of the O'Connor estate

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. place-space-environment
      1. land management (~4,110)

   Language

   English