Famine in Co. Mayo 1847

To the Editor of the Freeman's Journal, May 11th 1847.

Dear Sir- To behold the  awful state of this parish is indeed frightful beyond conception. Famine, destitution, despair and death. Men, women and children sick and dying of hunger. Will anything be done for their relief? This district is totally neglected. We  have complied with all the requisite rules. We  got several promises, but  no relief. I humbly request that your journal will direct me  to what I should do.
I send the names of those who died of want and  hunger in three villages on the mountain district, in the month of April alone- 

Drimcaggy, Ballybanane, and Darras- John Hough, Anna Hough, Judy Meenachan, Katy Gibbons, Frank Dermody, Pat Walsh, John Durken, John Staunton, Kate McNilly, Beggar at Gortanukellen, John Malley, Austin Going, Henry Walsh, Pat Walsh, John Walsh, Tom Malley, Pat Lally, Bryan Boyle, Henry Walsh, J Mother, Pat Glynn, James Dolan, Peggy Walsh, William Walsh, Tom Henehan, William Dolan's wife, John Henehan's wife, John Moran's  son, Biddy Lally, Thady Connolly, Pat Greavey, William Horan, Michael Malley, Michael Miller, James Drunane's wife, Mary Connolly, Martin Hanlon, New Boland's son, William Heneehan's son, Biddy  Mally, Pat Stanton, Martin Sheridan, Biddy Kyne, Mathew Heneehan, William Hanlon's son, a Travelling  man, Anthony Heneehan's son, Lakey Higgins, Pat Stanton, Tom Walsh, John Joyce, P Cly?im, Michael Heneehan, Philip Meenachan, Peter Lally, Stephen Walsh, Winy Gibbons, James Dermody, Martin Lally, John Knight, Tom Bourke, Michael Dolan, John Sheridan's son, Pat Kennedy, Anthony O'Brien, Tom Heneehan, Martin McC?addy, Michael Donnellan, William Heneehan's wife, Peter Gibbons, Luke Gibbons, Walter Cusack and James  Malley.

All of the above persons died of cold and hunger in one month, out of a population of around 300 families.

The poor people are dying in the fields, in the streets, in the ditches, on the roads, and in the houses; some remaining for 4, 6, or 7 days without interment - without winding sheets; all- all sick or hungry, without food, or means to buy any. 

Such are the scenes or woe in the mountains of Partree.

Your's truly,
Peter Ward, P.P., Partree.


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Famine in Co Leitrim

So many people reading this blog would have had ancestors that left Ireland because of "The Great Hunger" / "Famine."

I have added a few reports from this time to give you some idea on the impact  it had on the people and area.

The following is a letter from a Parish Priest that appeared in an Irish newspaper in 1847. Research is much more than names and dates.

Co.Leitrim

Parish of  Glenade, Diocese of Kilmore, per Rev. Francis O’Reilly, P.P.

Total number of deaths from October 1st, 1846 to April 1st, 1847 ? 173.

Number of same known to be occasioned by famine? 129.

Number  of deaths same period former year?  143.

I an the P.P. of the poorest parish in Ireland. I am placed in the bogs of Leitrim where the plough was never stretched; no protestant church, no resident gentleman, no magistrate, no respectable person to co-operate with me; the parish is small, and the people so very poor they could not  support a curate.
The land here consists of reclaimed bogs. No wheat. The poor people chiefly depended  on the potato - the potato perished and the people are perishing for want of them. We have no soup; for God’s sake, in the name of humanity, can you point out to me where, or how  I could procure some relief to help us to wade through these few trying weeks?

Observe that in all  cases where old people were employed on the public works, that they could not procure for themselves and family a sufficiency of food. They sank exhausted and died.

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Census of Death Returns

The following are names of people who died in parishes from October 1846 - April 1847. Not all those named died from starvation but obviously a high percentage did. I haven't transcribed all areas that I have seen and they aren't nationwide.

If anyone has an interest in Ballinhassig, Co Cork please e-mail me as I have a large list of names  there.

From the Parish of Clare Island, Co Mayo. The Rev. Peter Ward, P.P.

Number of Deaths from 1st October,1846 - 1st April 47 viz- 82.

Lecarrow Village- Charles Malley, Hugh Malley, Dominick Bradshaw, Cicily Malley, Mary Moran sen., Mary Moran jun., John Grady, Austin Kean, Bridget Grimes.

Cappangour- Pat Barrett, Margaret Barrett, Mary Malley.

Kill- Sarah Malley, Michael Malley, Michael Schofield, Pat Malley, Margaret Grady, Mary Ruddy, Honor Ruddy, John Ruddy, Letitia Barrett, Mary Barrett.

I also have the lists for the townlands of Founglass, Glen, Toormore Village, Streak Village, Ballytouhy. (All the above are from the parish of Clare Island.)

From the United Parishes of Kinvara, Killina, and Durus, Co Galway, per the Rev. Francis Arthur C Ad-r.

"Deaths by starvation from October 1846 to April 1847. - 148

Number of deaths occasioned by eating bad food- such as nettles, seaweed - 98.

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Spirit of Mother Jones Festival

I have been asked by the organisers to post details of the up and coming festival here in Cork.

Please visit their website for further details.

www.motherjones.com

WW I - Last letter home

Though my blog is centred around my Irish ancestry at times I do include some research from my Welsh side. 

I recently visited Wales and I spent a huge amount of time going through old photographs belonging to my family.

I was delighted to find many photos of my grandfather during WW II and older photos too. What took my eye was a sheet of paper that had been folded many times and wasn't in great shape. On inspection and reading a couple of times I recognised the names of siblings to my grandfather. I soon realised that it was the last page of a letter from my grandfather's brother to my great grandparents in Wales.

I decided to transcribe it here for relatives and those who have an interest in such things. I believe I have it right but I can't make out any punctuation......it's written in pencil and I know it's pre May 11th 1915. 

*Updated.

I have recently discovered that Percy was killed on the 11th May 1915 (France & Flanders.) 

I had been told that he lied about his age to get into the army. I knew Percy lived in Penpergwm, Abergavenny when he joined up (Monmouthshire Territorial) in Abertillery. 
Percy was baptised in April, 1898 (Brampton Abbott's, Herefordshire) so I dont believe he was much older than 17 years and 4 months when he was killed.

......... get any writing paper I received your parcel quite safe for it is quite a luxury to have a parcel in France well I am very sorry to hear Fred so? keep bad all the time  (probably meant keep so bad all the time) just tell him to write now and again and tell Mabel and George to write (they lived in Canada) Well now I must close with best love from your loving son Percy. xxxxx 

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The Anglican Record Project

I do not need to go into much detail as the site says it all.

It's an important development with C of I records and you will be able to follow the progression of records as they are published.

Please remember that during the famine many R.C.'s temporarily converted in order to qualify to be fed.
http://ireland.anglican.org/about/151

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Philadelphia Irish 1841

I have many hundreds to add, this is a tiny fraction of those that are listed.

Loyal National Repeal Association - Philadelphia.

Freeman’s Journal August 6th 1841

*(Dublin newspaper)

The following are the names (Continued from yesterday’s FREEMAN) of the friends of Ireland of Philadelphia, who subscribed the munificent sum of 200l ., noticed in Monday’s proceedings at the association:-

SUBSCRIBERS OF 1 DOLLAR EACH.

Susannah McLaughlin, Philadelphia; Mary McLaughlin, do; Joseph McLaughlin, do; Mrs Catherine Walshe, do; Benjamin M Evans, do; Edward McGowan, do; George H Hawkins, do; Thomas H Hughes, Old Ireland; Captain John Pascal, France; Stephen M Byrnes, Philadelphia; Michael Treanor, Tyrone; Michael Tuite, Meath; William Guilfoyle, Queen’s County; Hugh Smith, Donegal; John Murphy, city of Cork; Thomas Lewellyn, Philadelphia; Richard Feoria, Roscrea; John O’Kane, Derry; Major W. W. Weeks? Philadelphia; Edwin Buck, England; John Mead, Philadelphia;; Patrick McElroy, Portaferry, Down; Thomas H P Norman, Philadelphia; Thomas McFadden, Mansynuke? Michael Murphy, city of Dublin, Daniel McKenny, Down; Patrick McKenny, do; William McGliney, Tyrone; John Downey, Philadelphia; Dr John Keohler, do; John Quin, Longford, Mary Brady, do; Mary Fary Farrell, do; Catherine Heslin, do; Mary Burke, do; Patrick Green, Armagh; James Derwin, Leitrim; Ellen L Sweeny, Bandon, Cork; James Martin, Down; George Devinny, Coleraine; Richard Edwards, Wicklow; Francis McCaffry, Philadelphia; James Mahony, Bandon; Owen McGinty, Donegal; Thomas Birgins, Cavan; James Forcus, Donegal; John Marshall, Tyrone;Patrick T Coffy, do; Phillip Devine, do; Patrick Gallaher, Donegal; Patrick McGough, Louth; Joseph Francis, Philadelphia; Samual C Bishop, do; Edward Williams, do; Mrs Thomas McCoy, do; James A Farrelly, Chester, Philadelphia; Patrick McBride, Tyrone; Edw Carr, do; Hugh Reilly, Virginia, Cavan; Arthur Magner, Cork; J Mangar, do; William Cullen, Wicklow; J. McGrath, Vinegar-hill; John McNichol, Derry; James Lamb, Limerick; Wm, Riordan, Mallow; * (Co Cork) Joshua Sturgess, Philadelphia; Timothy Whelan, Abbeyleix, Queens County; P Toomy, Bandon; James Doherty, Derry; H B Duffy, Derry; Danile McNally, Tyrone; John Knight, Mayo; W H Elsgood, Philadelphia; James McGlynn, Cavan; J Duffy, do; Richard Vaux, Philadelphia, Patrick Norton, Limerick; Patrick McDonough, Armagh; Col. John S Warner, Baltimore; * (USA or Ireland?) Patrick McCarron, Tyrone; Edward Flood, Cavan; Michael O'Donnell, Tipperary; Patrick Connelly, Clonakilty; John Goold, Bandon; Jeremiah Connolly, do; Alexander Collins, Inishowen; James O'Leary, Dunmanway; Peter Hickey, Bandon; Charles Ryan, do; Timothy McCarthy, do; Humphry Mahony, do; John Hurley, do; Patrick McCarthy,do;William Hanly, Donegal; Dr. Malone, Waterford; Nicholas Wall, Wexford; Wm. Regan, Bandon; John Nugent, do; J Nugent, Cavan; John Cochrane, Queen's Co; Pierce Archer (?) Waterford; John Landon, New York; Anthony Coghlan, King's Co; Email me! click here

Ancestors Photographs and Sketches

I enjoy managing to obtain photographs of my ancestors but there are other ways to give that special touch to your records.

One of my favourite photographs is that of my grandfather who died on my 5th birthday back in 1964. I spent a number of years researching this side of my family and it gave me great pleasure too. 

I got to hear about a talented young artist from Co. Armagh who now lives here in Co. Cork. I asked him if he would be interested in sketching a picture of my grandfather as I wished to give this as a present to the family. I was delighted with the sketch and I certainly can recommend him. (see link below sketch) 

I could talk about this forever but it's best to just show you........the sketch is the 2nd image.

Feel free to e mail me if you wish to  obtain details of this fine artist.


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Griffiths Valuation & Cancellation Books

I have discussed this before but I thought I would give another example of the griffith's and the cancellation books.

I couldn't see my Savage ancestors in the griffith's valuation so I went through the cancellation books in Dublin for that area where I knew they lived in the early 1860's. This is a very good way of seeing who owned/rented the property before my gx2 grandfather.
Of course you can also see through out the years who the next and next etc. tenant was.

This not so great photograph (c.1861) is of the original entry. Arthur Savage was my Gx2 grandfather from Co Meath, Ireland.





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McCormack of Co Louth (8)

Togher -

Mary 1863 Patrick 1864 Bridget 1868 

McCormick

Laurence 1794 John 1796 Mary 1810 Elen 1815 James 1815 Bridget 1824 Mary 1826 Anne 1839 Thomas 1844 Margaret 1847 Thomas 1847 Anne 1850 Pat 1852 Rose 1854 Pat 1857 Mary 1858 John 1862 Margaret Emily 1882 Robert 1884 

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