School: Finea (roll number 10599)
- Location:
- Finnea, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Kathleen Hackett
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- XML “House Burnings”
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- About the year 1839 the greater portion of Finea was burned. At that time a row of mud-walled cabins extended from Finea Co. Westmeath to Kilgolah Co. Cavan on the right hand side of the road. The fires burned on an open hearth and the arches or hurdles which formed the chimney were made of dried scallops.
About three o'clock in the evening the wind arose and it must have come from the south-west because the greater portion of Carrick bog was burned that night. At first the people took no notice of the wind but eventually it increased in intensity until the fire was called up the chimneys. The hurdles then took fire and before long the houses were in flames. The people were in a terrible state and the poorer people were destitute. One or two rebuilt the huts, but the majority emigrated to America.- Collector
- Kathleen Hackett
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 35
- Occupation
- Teacher
- Address
- Finnea, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Patrick Dolan
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 72
- Address
- Finnea, Co. Westmeath