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1. Folklore - The Famine

   

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   Folklore
   The Famine

   It is nearly ninety years ago since this terrible visitation which caused death from starvation and disease to thousands of the Irish race. My grandmother who was born in the Parish of Donaghmore Co Limerick in the years 1812 used to relate many incidents of those terrible times, but I was too young to retain most of them. She used to say that many a fine man and woman whom she knew died of starvation. One morning as she was going early to Limerick she saw a man dead by the roadside. This was only one of the tales she could tell.

   In her parish about 30 died similarly. Others struggle on like skeletons eating every class of food the could lay hands on, i.e. turnips, crabs, even herbs. When any person died and had to be taken a long distance to be buried, she used to say that those who used to shoulder the remains often fell with weakness from hunger. Strange to relate as she often said that the crops of potatoes which grew previous to this famine were remarkably plentiful and therefore people had not thought enough of them, and in cases they were stated to be only in the way, as they grew up among corn and hay. But people should thank God for plenty and thank him for everything.
   I got this from my father Patrick Fitzgerald, Belmont, Offaly. Written by James Fitzgerald (same address)

   

   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

   James Fitzgerald

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Belmont, Co. Offaly

   Informant

   Patrick Fitzgerald

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Belmont, Co. Offaly