School: Raheenagh (C.), Ráthluirc (roll number 10815)

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1. The Famine

   

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   Although the people of the present day escaped the dreadful famine of 1846-'47 we can still hear the aged people talk about it. There was once an old woman who has told the following story. One day, a travelling woman came to the door with a child in her arms, the woman of the house gave some bread to the child for she was weary and hungry looking. The woman snapped the bread from the child and left the child crying piteously with the hunger. A few days later they were both found dead by the ditch with the hunger.
   This great famine affected the country very much, and sent dreadful evils far and wide upon the land. Each day people perished in hundreds by the ditches and roadsides and the population was lessened to one half of what it was in previous years.
   The year following the famine affected the country very much and sent dreadful evils far and wide upon the land. Each day people perished in hundreds by the ditches and roadsides and the population was lessened to one half of what it was in previous years.
   The year following the Famine, bad and ill nourishing food was the cause of the death of thousands, as cholera and dysentery ravaged the country during the famine and afterwards the people were dying so

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Timothy Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Camas, Co. Limerick