Cratloe famine incident

[matthewmacnamara]


Here is a report of an incident at Cratloe, on the Limerick to Ennis road, as the Famine begins to set in.

Three black flags were hoisted upon large poles at the cross of Cratloe to indicate the prevailing distress of the neighbourhood. There were many persons collected round shouting to the persons in the different vehicles passing, to direct their attention towards them. [Limerick Reporter, April 24, 1846]

[smcarberry]

Black famine flags, David Hollett bk.jpg (17.91 KiB) Viewed 5979 times

This report matches something I saved a while ago, before the era of Google Books being restricted by copyright assertions. I doubt that this page can be reached now online there, but WorldCat indicates that David Hollett's books on emigration in the Famine era are listed with the author shown as "D. Hollett."

S. Carberry

[matthewmacnamara]

Many thanks for the reference.
The item has a sequel in the Limerick Reporter of May 1, 1846.
It publishes a letter from 'a member of the Cratloe relief committee' saying:

'I state to you that no such exhibition took place, not only at Cratloe cross, but at any other quarter of the parish.
It is too true, I regret to say, that the distress of the poor people of this district is very great, but is much alleviated
both by the active exertions of the Relief Committee, who have employed 180 men and boys on the public works in the district, as well
as by the humanity of Augustus S. O'Brien, M.P. and William Monsell, Esq. Tervoe, both of whom have employed all the poor
on their own estates...