great irish famine- final presentation _2
TRANSCRIPT
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THEIMPACTOFTHEGREATFAMINEof184551withspecialreferencetoULSTER
ByamonPhoenix*
Introduction:
TheGreatFamine,AnGortaMr(184551)hasthegrimdistinctionofbeingthemostcostly
naturaldisasterofmoderntimes.Inasensetherewasnothingexceptionalaboutthe
Famine.Toquoteoneauthority,DudleyEdwardsinthe1950s,itwasbutaperiodof
greatermiseryinaprolongedageofsuffering.Therehadbeenpreviousfaminesandfood
shortagesbuttheeventsofthe1840swereonavastlydifferentscale.
Yetthetriggerfactorsbehindthehumancatastropheof184551areclear:
1Between1750and1845thetotalpopulationmushroomedfromabout2.6to8.5millions
(orby225%inacentury).Irelandwasnotaloneinexperiencingsuchgrowthattheturnof
the18thcentury.ButwhatmadeitexceptionalbycontemporaryEuropeanstandardswas
a/therapidrateofexpansion,and
b/therelativelackofanyaccompanyingindustrialisation.(IndeedmuchoftheIrish
countrysidewasbeingdeindustrialised withthecollapseofthecottageindustryunderthe
impactoftheindustrialrevolutioninBritainandLaganValley.
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2.Secondly,some80percentofthisteemingpopulationlivedontheland,makingIreland
oneofthemostdenselypopulatedcountriesinEuropewithsome400peoplepersqmilein
somecountiessuchasArmagh.
3.AsthehistorianJamesDonnelly,junior,observes:Itwasaboveallthepovertyofsucha
largesegmentoftheIrishpopulationthatmadetheGreatFaminesodestructiveofhuman
life.1 Bythe1840scloseontwofifthsofthepopulation some3.3millionpeople were
totallydependantonthepotatoforsubsistencewhilealmost5million upto4.7million
reliedontherootasthedominantitemintheirdiet.Suchasituationwasfraughtwith
danger:whilepreviouscropfailureshadcausedlocaldistress,itwasclearthatanymajor
potatofailurewouldtriggerasocialandeconomiccrisisofcataclysmicproportions.
DominatingtheranksofthepotatoeatersinpreFamineIrelandwere
a/thelandlessagriculturallabourers:
b/thecottierclass(thesmallestlandownersonplotsoflessthan5acres),especiallyinthe
westandsouthwest;
c/andthesmallercultivators(on515acres).
ApreFaminedietarysurveyshowslargemealsofpotatoesconsumedwithbutterandmilk
byalargesegmentofthepopulation.Thisexplainstheenormityofthecrisisof184551.
1
Jaqmes
S
Donnelly,
Jr,
The
Great
Irish
Potato
Famine
(The
History
Press,
2010),
p
1.
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CAUSES:
1.TheFamineoriginatedinanecologicaldisaster.Intheautumnof1845afungaldisease
(phythopthorainfestans)
reached
Ireland
from
continental
Europe
via
England.
From
the
southwestofthecountryitsoonspreadto17counties.Afurtherblowcameintheshape
ofthewet,humidsummerof1846 whichleftthecropatotalfailure.Thewinterof184647
wastheworstinlivingmemory.The1847harvestwasgoodbuttheautumnof1848
broughtyetanothertotalfailurewhichwascompoundedbyapoorgrainharvest.
Thusbetween1846and1849theIrishpotatocropfailedinthreeseasonsoutoffour.By
1849theworstwasover.Buttheharrowingnightmareofthose6years184551had
wroughtradicalandenduringchangesonthestructureofIrishsociety:
a/Populationchange:Thegreatestchangewasthedecimationofthepopulation.Thefull
extentofthehumanholocaustwasevidentinthe1851census.Thisshowedthatbetween
1841and 1851theIrishpopulationhadfallenfrom8.1millionto6.5million afallofsome
20%.However,asthepopulationfigurein1845wascloserto8.5million,thefallisover
23% almostaquarterinthewholeisland.
Asthehistorian,KevinWhelanhascommented:Itisdifficulttograspatanindividuallevel
the
implications
of
a
tragedy
which
wiped
out
I
million
people
in
half
a
decade,
as
if
the
modernpopulationofDublinwastobeobliterated[today]
*** TableofPopulationloss
Thefallwasduetodeathsfromhungeranddiseaseandemigration.Historiansareagreed
onafigureof ImillionFaminedeaths.Inblack47aloneitisestimatedthat250,000died
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ofstarvationorfever.Amajorcauseofmortalityintheseyearswasarangeofattendant
Faminediseasessuchastyphus,choleraanrelapsingfeverordropsy(duetomalnutrition
andovercrowdinginthecountrys130Workhouses).In1849therewasaseriouscholera
outbreakinBelfastandothertownsduetotheinfluxofbeggarsfromruralIreland.
Theimpactofthecatastrophewasgreatestinthewesternandsouth westerncountiesina
swathefromFermanaghtoCorkwheredependenceonthepotatowasgreatestandwhere
subdivisionofholdingswasmostacute.Inaddition,tradeandcommunicationswerepoorly
developedalong
the
western
littoral
from
Donegal
to
Kerry,
adding
to
the
catastrophe.
***[TableofExcessMortalitybycounty higherestimateincludeslostbirths)
Thusexcessmortalityrangedfromaround1016 perthousandineasterncountiessuch
as
Antrim,
Armagh
and
Meath
to
27
35
per
thousand
in
Cork,
Clare
and
Fermanagh.
ThehighestdeathrateswereintheConnachtcountiesofMayo,Sligo,Roscommonand
LeitrimwithCavanhavingthehighestmortalityinUlster(42.7%) Theeasterncountieswere
leastaffected. WhileUlstercountiessufferedlesstherewereblackspotsthroughoutthe
province(asweshallsee).
Whichsocialgroupswerehardesthit?Clearlythepoorestsectionofthepopulationthe
labourersandcottiers(lessthan5acres)werethechiefvictimsoftheFamine,followedby
thosecultivatingminuteholdingsofunder10acres.However,theranksofthebetter off
famers(withsome15acres)werealsobadlythinnedbytheholocaust.
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EmigrationmainlytotheUnitedStates wasalsoahallmarkoftheGreatFamine.While
emigrationhadbeenrisingbefore1845,thescaleofFamineemigrationwas
unprecedented aswasthescaleofitscasualties.In1847alone220,000emigratedwhilein
1852amassive369,000personsleftIreland.Manysailedinthenotoriouscoffinshipsand
onesixthofthoseonthepassagetoGrosseisle(Quebec)died:therewereastaggering
4,500deathsthereinatwomonthperiodof1847alone.
Thismassexodusandthecontinuanceofhighemigrationlevelscombinedwiththepost
faminepattern
of
infrequent
and
late
marriages
to
produce
apermanent
population
decline.
ThefullsignificanceoftheGreatFamineonIrishpeasantsocietycanbeseenintheTable
comparingthenumberofholdingsofvarioussizesbetween1841and1851.Theseconfirm
theannihilationofthecottierclassthroughdeathandemigrationandtheconsolidationof
holdingsdueto withtheremovalofthecultivators.
***(TableofChangesinlandholdings184151)
BritishGovernmentPolicy:
Thescaleofthedisasterof184551raisesaseriesofemotivequestionsaboutthecrisis:
Wasthecalamityavoidable?CouldtheBritishgovernmenthavedonemoretolessenits
humanimpact? Thesequestionshavegeneratedcontroversyamongcontemporariesand
laterhistorians.GovernmentapologistssuchasCharlesTrevelyan(AssistantSecretaryatthe
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BritishTreasury)tendedtotakeaprovidentialviewoftheFamineasthesolutionofanall
wiseProvidencetotheproblemofoverpopulationinIrelandwhiletheNewry
NonconfomistandYoungIrelander,JohnMitchelaccusedtheBritishgovernmentof
genocidalintent. Severalpointscanbemade:
1.Laissezfaire:DuringtheearlystagesofthecrisisGovernmentpolicywaslargely
conditionedbythe prevailinglaissezfairedoctrine.Peelsadministrationsetuppublic
worksandarrangedfortheimportationofIndiancorntokeepdownthepriceoffood.But
thegoverment
rejected
in
principle
that
it
should
accept
direct
responsibility
for
maintainingtheafflictedpeasantry.
In1846PeelsgovernmentwasreplacedbyaWhigMinistryunderLordJohnRussell.The
newadministrationtendedtoreacttoevents,andeventhenverytentativelyasProfessor
AlvinJacksonnotes.ThepublicworksschemescontinuedbutthenewWhigMinistryhada
strongerideological
commitment
to
laissez
faire
and
the
rights
of
property.
As
aresult
it
stoppedthedirectimportationoffoodandtooktheviewthatIrishpovertymustbe
supportedbyIrishproperty.Theconsequencesweredisastrous: thepainfullyslowmanner
inwhichreliefschemeswereinauguratedin18467reflectedthegovernmentsabidingfear
ofpervertingmarketforces.AsJacksonnotes:Thistardinesscostlives,inparticularasthe
greatkillers
of
the
Famine
typhus
and
relapsing
fever
were
able
to
spread.2
RussellandhisofficialsfailedtograsptherealnatureoftheIrisheconomy:Irishpeasants
rarelyhandledmoneyand facedwiththepitifullackofaretaildistributionsystem many
diedwiththepenniesintheirhands.
2
Alvin
Jackson,
Ireland
1798
1998
(Blackwell,
1999),
p
79
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TheRateinAidissue:
TheRateinAidissueof1849confirmedthedeepseatedpoliticalandsectariandivisionsin
thecountry
as
the
wealthier
Unions
in
Ulster
protested
at
the
levying
of
atax
of
6d
in
the
poundofthemoreprosperousunionstosubsidisethepoorerunionsinthewest.TheBill
wasopposedbymanylandlords,especiallyinthenorth.TheprobityofUlsterversusthe
slothofConnaughtwasaninterpretationthatwasinvokedfrequently.AseniorPoorLaw
Commissionerinthenorthdescribedthetaxasasubsidytotheindolenceofthewest
whileJoseph
Napier,
MP
for
Trinity
College,
argued
that
the
only
effect
of
the
Bill
wd
be
in
keepingupanarmyofbeggars,fedoutoftheindustryofUlster.5
5.TheOfficialMind:
It
is
clear
that
to
describe
government
policies
as
genocidal
in
motivation
(as
Mitchel
did)
is
simplynotsupportedbytheevidence.However,thereisnodoubtthatmuchofficial
commentismarkedbyarroganceandcallousness.TypicalwastheremarkofCharles
Trevelyan thattheFaminewasthesolutionofanallwiseprovidencetotheproblemof
overpopulationinIreland.AsProfessorPeterGrayobserves,TrevelyanscontroloverIrish
policy
grew
as
the
Famine
continued
and
he
imposed
his
own
rigid
moralistic
agenda
6
Trevelyanwasnotonlyanadvocateofprovidentialismandlaissezfairebutwasalso
convincedofthemoralflawsintheIrishnationalcharacter.
COULDMOREHAVEBEENDONEBYGOVERNMENTTOOVERCOMETHECRISIS?:
5ChristineKinealy,AdeathdealingFamine(PlotoPress,1997),p143
6
Donnelly,
op
cit,
pp20,
28
29
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Akeythemeoftheplaywright,ThomasMurphysdramaticrenditionoftheFaminetragedy
isthenoiseofaconvoyofcorncartsonaroad.7Couldmorehavebeendoneby
governmenttoreducethehighmortality?
Thereisnodoubt,asProfessorsMaryDalyandJamesDonnellyhaveconcluded,thatthe
IrishFaminewasreal,notartificial;foodwasextremelyscarce;itcouldnothavebeen
solvedbyclosingtheports;thechargesofgenocidecannotbesustained.However,Itis
clearthatmoremoneycouldhavebeenspentonreliefwhile(asProfessorCormacOGrada
argues)atemporary
embargo
on
grain
exports
in
early
1847
might
have
alleviated
starvationinthosecriticalearlymonths.
TheresearchofDrChristineKinealyontheadministrationofrelief,especiallyonthe
operationoftheamendedPoorLaw(1847),amountstoascathingindictmentofthewhole
approachoftheBritishgovernmenttotheFamine:Byimplementingapolicywhichinsisted
thatlocal
resources
must
be
exhausted
before
an
external
agency
would
intervenedespite
localadvicetothecontrary,theGovernmentmadesufferinganunavoidableconsequence
thesufferingwasexacerbatedbythefrequentdelaysintheprovisionofreliefandbythe
smallquantityofreliefprovided,whichwasalsooflownutritionalvalue.8
KinealyshowsthatsomeBritishpoorlawofficialsinIreland werecriticalofthepolicies
pursuedby TrevelyanandGovernmentMinisters.Oneofficial,EdwardTwistleton,resigned
in1849onthegroundsthatthedestitutionhereissohorribleandtheindifferenceofthe
7CormacGrda,TheGreatIrishFamine(Macmillan,1989),pp612;MaryEDaly,TheFamineinIreland
(Dundalk,1986),pp4352
8
Donnelly,
op
cit,
p
25,
citing
Kinealy
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HouseofCommonstoitsomanifest,thatheisanunfitagentofapolicythatmustbeoneof
extermination.9
CharitableWork:
RegardlessoftheshortcomingsofIrishproperty,individuallandlordsofferedminoractsof
philantrophy.Theclergyofalldenominationswereactiveinreliefwork;in1847alone40
ProtestantministersdiedoftyphusorFaminefever.However,thereligiousdenomination
mostconspicuouslyassociatedwithfaminereliefwastheSocietyofFriends.Thescaleof
Quakerreliefwasbyprivatestandardsenormous.Notonlydidtheyprovidesoupkitchens
intheworstaffecteddistrictsbuttheycollatedaccurateinformationontheactualstateof
affairs.10
There
were
also
instances
of
striking
generosity
and
humanitarianism
from
marginalised
communitiesoverseassuchas theChocktawIndiansofOklahoma.Forcedfromtheirtribal
landsin1831theysentadonationof$710fordistributioninravagedCountyMayo.
TheFaminealsorevealedsomeofthegrimmeraspectsofIrishsocialrelationsinthe19th
century.Inthestruggleforsurvivaltherewasmuchruthlessness: oflandlordsandfarmers
9Donnelly,opcit,pp256.TwistletonwastheChiefIrishPoorLawCommissioner
10
Jackson,
op
cit,
pp77
8
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inevictingcottiers;privatetradersinsistingonthefreeexportofgrainintheFamineyears
andgombeenmen exploitingthepoorbylendingmoneyatexorbitantrates.11
THEIMPACTOFTHEFAMINEONULSTER:
TheclaimthattheFaminedidntaffectUlsterhasbeenoneofthe mostunchallenged
mythsinrecentIrishhistory.Asrecentlyasthe1960s,therespectedhistorianJCBeckett
remarkedthatthememoryofblackfortysevenplayslittlepartinUlstertradition.12
Researchoverrecentdecades,however,hascorrectedthisdistortionandrevealedthe
significantimpactwhichtheFaminemadeontheprovinceasawholeandonthepolitical
Northinparticular.
The fullimpactofthecatastropheof184551onUlsterisrevealedinthe1851census.
This
shows
that
in
the
nine
counties
the
population
fell
by
340,000
between
1841
and
1851,
adropof15.7percentcomparedwith19.9percentforthewholeoflreland.13
ThenorthhadfaredbetterthanthesouthandwestbutnotaswellasLeinster(which
recordeda15percentloss).Toobtainatruepictureoftheravagesofdeathfromhunger
anddiseaseandtheeffectsofemigration,historiansestimatethatUlstersuffered224,000
excessdeaths
or
8.6
per
cent,
ie
the
number
over
and
above
those
who
would
have
died
fromnaturalcausesduringthatdecade.
11Jackson,opcit,p81
12JCBeckett,AShortHistoryofIreland(London,1973).Pp1456
13
Jonathan
Bardon,
A
History
of
Ulster
(Belfast,
1992),
pp307
8
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ThegreatestlossesofpopulationwereinthesouthUlstercountiesofCavan,Fermanagh
andMonaghanwheretheratesperthousandofexcessmortalitywere42.7percentfor
Cavan,29.2forFermanaghand28.6for Monaghan. Tyrone,AntrimandArmaghwereclose
tothenationalaveragewithratesofaround15percent.Theexcessdeathratesforthe
remainingcountieswere10.7forDonegal,6.7forDownand5.7forDerry.Suchstatisticsdo
notincludethevastnumberswhodiedsoonafterarrivalinBritainorenroutetoAmerica.
Nordotheyincludetheestimated200,000lostbirths.
Whileit
is
clear
that
south
Ulster
suffered
most
severely,
research
shows
that
the
events
of184551affectednormallyprosperouspartsofthenortheast,includingBelfast,north
DownandparticularlythelinentriangleofnorthArmagh.TheFamineyearscoincidedwith
thedeclineofthedomesticlinenindustryandadownturninthelinentradeinUlsterwhich
mademanyweaversandtheirfamiliesvulnerabletohungeranddisease.
InCountyCavan,where82percentofthepopulationof240,000livedinthirdorfourth
classhousesandwereneverfarfromstarvation,theareasworstaffectedbyblightand
diseasewereinthedenselypopulatedparishesofeastandmidCavan;forexample,
Castlewardlost31percentofitspopulation,Inniskeen andKillsherdany36percent.The
extentofdistressisreflectedintheinvolvementof3,500inthecuttingoftheBallinamore
BallyconnellcanalasaFaminereliefschemein1846.
InCavanthecrisiswasexacerbatedbytheactionsofabsenteelandlordswhoevicted
manycottiers.InJanuary1849RevMattMcQuaid,PPofKillsherdanycomplainedofthe
terriblepersecutionofthepoorbytheagentsofthelandlords.Heremarkedonhow
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mothersandchildrenhadbeendrivenoutlikeaparcelofswineonastormywintersnight.
In1847alonetherewere633deathsinCavanworkhouseduetofeverwhichclaimedthe
livesofdoctorsandclergyofbothdenominationsincludingRevCharlesBeresford,the
rectorofBailieborough,anactivereliefworker.14
IntheadjoiningcountyofMonaghan,thegreatestimpactofhungeranddiseasewason
thelandlesscottierclasswith11ofits65electoraldivisionslosingmorethan40percentof
theirpopulations. IntheShirleyestateinsouthMonaghan,thelandagent,WSTrench
reducedthe
tenantry
by
20
per
cent
through
assisted
emigration.
15
WithintheareaofthefutureNorthernIrelandthegreatestimpactwasonFermanagh.Four
ofitseightbaroniessufferedpopulationlossesof2731percentoverthedecade184151.16
ByDecember1846thefirstdeathsfromstarvationwerereportedinthelocalpress.Byearly
1847cholerawasspreadingthroughthecountywiththeErnePacketreporting:InGarvary
Woodhundreds
of
corpses
are
buried,
they
were
the
victims
of
cholera
and
their
relatives
tooweaktocarrythemtothegraveyard.
By1847thecountysworkhouseswereovercrowdedwiththeinmatesdrawnfromboth
religioustraditions.InLisnaskeaovertheFamineperiodonethirdofthoseadmittedwas
ProtestantandtwothirdsCatholic.Bythesummerof18472,000werebeingfedbythe
soupkitcheninEnniskillenand2,700inMaguiresbridge.
14CKinealyandTParkhill(eds),TheFamineinUlster(Belfast,1997),pp5975
15Ibid,pp1846
16
Ibid,
pp
130
6
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AnaspectoftheFamineinFermanaghwasthehighpercentageofyoungpeopleunder15
amongtheworkhousepopulation.(some48%inEnniskillenby1848).Some150female
orphansfromFermanaghworkhousesweresentaspartofaconsignmentof4,000Irish
femaleorphanstoAustraliaduring184850.17
TodaythereareFaminegraveyardsatKesh(inthecareoftheChurchofIreland) andatthe
formerWorkhouseatIrvinestowninCoFermanagh.
InCoTyrone thestatisticsmaysuggestthatitwasoneofthoseIrishcountiesleast
affectedbytheFamine,yet11,500weredependentonpublicworksduring 184647.
Overall,thecountyavoidedextremedestitution.TheworstaffectedareaswereOmaghand
Clogherpoorlawunions,eachofwhichhadalmost21%ofthepopulationinreceiptof
food. Acrossthecountytheworkhouseswereinundatedwithapplicantsfrom1846
onwards,reflectingthesocialcollapseofthelabourersandsmallfarmers.FromClogher(
thebirth
place
of
the
writer
William
Carleton)
in
early
1847
the
parish
priest
reported
that
thepeoplewerestarvingmanyofthemlivingsolelyoncabbages.
ThepictureinStrabaneonDonegalborderwasoneofdestitutionandheartrending
privationwhileRevRobertMaude,theProtestantDeanofClogher,notedthatinhisdistrict
thecircleofdestitutionisrapidlyincreasingandextendingtoahigherclassofthe
agriculturalpopulationaccordingastheirlittlestoreisreduced18FromDromoreinwest
Tyronetherector, RevHenryStGeorge,wroteinMarch1847thatmanyhavediedof
17Ibid,pp1415
18
Ibid,
pp
215
6
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actualwantwhilemothersandinfantswerestarving.InallpartsofTyronedistresswere
intensifiedbythegeneraldeclineofthedomesticlinenindustry.
InDonegal
John
Tuke
of
the
Society
of
Friends
described
human
misery
in
every
part
of
thecountyduringavisitinlate1846andearly1847.Hefoundconditionsintheworkhouses
ofGlenties,BallyshannonandLetterkennyappalling.InInishowendistressaffectedall
sectionsofthepopulationwhileinthenorthofthecountygreathardshipwasreported
amongthemiserableandneglectedtenantsoftheMarquisofConyngham,anabsentee
landlordwith
120,000
acres.
19
InsouthDonegaltheinabilityofstarvingtenantstopaytheirrentsresultedinmass
evictions.ThefamineyearssawlargescaleemigrationtotheUnitedStatesthroughtheports
ofDerryandSligo.
Amongthemementosoftheperiodis amonumenttotheFaminedeadinBallyshannon,
DunfanaghyWorkhouse,theFamineVillagenearBuncranaandanumberofBrachan
Roadsrecallingthedistributionofbrachnorporridgetothestarvingpoor.
OneofthemostsurprisingaspectsoftheFamineinthenorthwasitssearingimpactin
traditionallyprosperouspartsofeastUlster.ParticularlyhardhitwastheLurganPortadown
linen
triangle
of
north
Armagh.
By
the
early
months
of
1847
Lurgan,
once
described
as
a
prosperousandthrivingtown,wassufferingalevelofworkhousemortalityonaparwith
theworstafflictedareasofthecountry.Asinotherflaxgrowingcounties,thepotatoblight
andsubsequentfevercoincidedwithdistressamongtheunemployedweaversfamilies
whiletheareawasdominatedbysmallholdingsoflessthanoneacre.
19
Ibid,
pp
80
5
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LurganWorkhousewasovercrowdedandbyFebruary1847recordedthethirdhighest
mortalityofanyworkhouseinIrelandafterBantryinwestCorkandGlentiesinDonegal.
ThedeathratepromptedaninquirybytheReliefCommissionersin1847whichblamedthe
crisisonovercrowding, thefactthattheclothesinwhichpaupersdiedwerereusedto
clothelivinginmateswhilethecorpsesoffevervictimswereinterredbesidetheworkhouse
well.Theresultwasacycleofdeath.Theworkhousewaspoorlymanagedwithan
incompetentMedicalOfficerwhiletheProtestantchaplain,RevOulton,complainedtoLord
Lurgan,thelocallandlord,thattheinmateswerefedbrothmadefromputridbeef.
ThefamineandpestilenceinnorthArmaghduring184648affectedbothProtestantsand
Catholicswhileitsleadinglandowner,LordLurganhimself,diedfromtyphusfeverinApril
1847.20
InnearbyPortadownLordGosforddescribedthepopulationasbeinginamostwretched
statewhile
the
mill
village
of
Donacloney
suffered
awful
want.
In
Armagh,
as
elsewhere
in
Ulster,ProtestantandCatholicclergycooperatedinestablishingreliefcommitteesand
soupkitchenswhileRevClements,aProtestantclergyman,complainedoftheindifference
ofthelocallandlordstowardstheirstarvingtenants.InTartaraghan,aruraldistrictnear
Portadown,theSocietyofFriendsreporteddeathsfromstarvationandfearedastate
parallelto
the
worst
picturesfrom
the
County
of
Cork.
ThefaminealsoimpactedonAntrim,DownandDerry.IntheNewtownardsareaofnorth
Downthepotatoblightcoincidedwiththedownturninthelinenindustry,placingthe
handloomweaversingreatdistress.Reliefcommitteesandpublicworksweresetupwhile
20
Ibid,
pp
43
57
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ByJune1847thecrisisbroughttogetheracrosscommunitybodyledbytheCatholicbishop,
CorneliusDenvir,andPresbyterianclergy. However,thecollaborationofCatholicand
ProtestantclergyinthesuppressionofbeggarsevokedauniqueGaelic protestpoem,Ceol
namBacachfromthepenoftheGaelicscribe,AodhMacDomhnaill,broughttoBelfast
fromCountyMeathbythePresbyterianindustrialistandGaeilgeoir,RobertMacAdamofthe
SohoFoundry.25
MassgravesweredugforthevictimsinFriarsBush(theancientCatholicburialgroundat
Stranmillis),Shankill
(Church
of
Ireland)
and
Clifton
Street
(Presbyterian).
Today
asimple
stonemarksthePlagueyHillatFriarsBush,besideQueensUniversity,whereupto1200
victimsofthe1847pandemiclieburied. In1996BelfastCityCouncilmarkedthe
sesquicentennialoftheGreatFaminewithastainedglasswindowintheCityHall.
(InsertpicofPlaque)
InCountyDerrythefaminebithardinboththenorthernandsouthernendsofthecounty.
Itisestimatedthattherewere1,000excessdeathsinthecountyperyearduring184651.In
theAghadoweyandAgiveydistrictsofnorthDerrydistressamongthecottiersalarmedRev
JohnBrown,aChurchofIrelandclergyman,whourgedthelocallandlord,theMarquessof
Waterfordtoattendtothepooronhisestate.TheMarquessrespondedbyestablishing
soupkitchens.InAghanloo,nearLimavady,RevWilliamHughes,anotherrector,reported
greatdistressinlate1846amongthelabouringorcottierclass.FromMagherafeltin
southDerryLordLondonderrysagentreportedtohismasterthespreadoffeverinthe
districtbyOctober1847.
25
I
am
indebted
to
Dr
Fionntan
de
Brun
(University
of
Ulster,
Coleraine)
for
this
reference.
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MeanwhiletheportofDerryplayedakeyroleintheflowofemigrantsfromnorthwest
Ulster.InDecember1848theLondonderry,ashipenroutefromSligotoLiverpoolputinto
Derrywhere 72men,womenandchildrenwerefoundsuffocatedinthehold.26
WhileitistruethattheFamineaffectedeverysectionoftheUlsterpopulation,theRate
inAidissueof1849showedthatsectarianismwasneverfarfromthesurface.
TheGreatFaminehasmanylessonsforthosecopingwithfamineandfoodsecurityinthe
ThirdWorldtoday:
theslavishdevotiontolaissezfaireandtheprevailingeconomicorthodoxywhichsawfood
exportedfromthecountry:
thefatalsystemofsubdivisionandtheover relianceonasinglefoodsource;
thelackofanycoherentnationalleadership;
astriking
lack
of
compassion
among
Government
and
officials;
thelackofanyrealnationalleadershiporconsensusonhowtocopewiththecrisis.As
Mitchelputit,ThehighaspirationsafteranationalSenateandanationalflaghadsunkto a
merecravingforfood.27
the
grudging,
tardy
and
trite
nature
of
the
official
response
thetragedyoftheunregulatedcoffinships
26KinealyandParkhill(eds),theFamineinUlster,pp15362
27
Beckett,
op
cit,
p145
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TheFaminewouldleaveIrelandchangedunrecognisably.Itwouldtransformlandholding
andagriculture,leavealegacyofcontinuousemigrationandacceleratethedeclineofthe
Irishlanguage.Butregardlessofwhetheritactedasawatershedoranacceleratorof
changesalreadyintrain,itsmostbrutalmonumentwasthemassivelossoflife.Inthe
RossesareaofwestDonegaltheimpactofAnGortaMorwaspoignantlyrecalledbyits
survivors:
ThainigblaintaanGhortaagusandrochshaoghalagusantocrasagusbhrissinneart
agusspiorad
nndaoini.
Mharbh
an
Gorta
achan
rud.
(The
years
of
the
Famine,
of
the
badtimesandthehungerbrokethespiritandstrengthofthepeople.TheFaminekilled
everything.28
Thefolkmemoryofthat awfulperiodlingersoninIreland,northandsouth,andnow
findspositiveexpressionthecommitmentoftheIrishstateandIrishpeopletothe
eradicationof
hunger
and
disease
in
the
developing
world
today.
Sources:
JonathanBardon,AHistoryofUlster(Belfast,1992)
JonathanBardon,Belfast,AnIllustratedHistory(Belfast,1982)
CKinealyandTParkhill(eds),TheFamineinUlster(Belfast,1997)
CDillonandHAJefferies,Tyrone:HistoryandSociety(Dublin,2000)
28
Kinealy,
A
Death
dealing
Famine,
pp
154
5
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