Cork Examiner 2 May 1849
The Pilot 21 October 1846
State of the
Country
Dungarvan – More Arrests - Intimidation – State of the
People
Dungarvan – Monday night, October 19 - On this night
16 persons have added to the very great number already in custody, for
intimidating the farmers and to pay back the con acre rent received by them
this year. They were arrested last night in and about the neighbourhood of
Dromana and Villierstown by the police of three stations. An investigation was
held previous to their being committed for trial to the Villierstown Petty
Sessions.
Condition of
the People
The condition of the people is truly heart-rending.
They are starving! One of the dragoons, a very intelligent man, gave me a most
deplorable account of the sights witnessed by them as they came along today by
the houses of their prisoners. They were followed by frantic looking women and
children, half naked, whose cries were unlike anything human – being husky,
broken, and quite feeble from starvation. Is there to be any remedy – any
panacea for this awful evil, now staring the country in the face? The landlords
of this country have done their duty in this matter, by taxing their properties
enormously to afford general employment. The Irish part of the government have
done what they could. But it would seem that all is destined to prove abortive,
in consequence of no measures being taken to reduce the famine price of food.
Indian meal is two shillings a stone; wages per day, only ten pence. This sum
would purchase about 6 pounds in weight of meal. What will they do for fire to
boil it on, condiments to use with it, and the various other indispensable
necessaries of life?
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| Small group of children standing in the street at Villierstown Village, Co. Waterford ,Cira 1890 |