into the STATE OF THE POORER CLASSES IN IRELAND.
439 Appendix (A.)
+1 master I have now to one who will be more kind and give me indulgence."
"t^T,<nn thinks Barry's case a hard one, and that farmers in general do not, press their labourers so tightly.
Th s Taylor, labourer, gives the following evidence: " I have to support a.
wife a 1 "Men* none of them is earning anything ; the eldest is only 15.
Two years age h cres of rough mountain ground from a gentleman for two years, which newer wi
and six o I took
6 the creation.
I was to have the two crops; he was to give mc 20 barrels of limo.
an for the last crop, and to plough it; he did not do either ; 1 had no written agreement; since T I'd not go to law with him ; when a poor man gets 1 angled in a gentleman's agreement, 1
l ould rather loose 1/.
than stand up about it.
First of all, 1 was to ditch it, (50 16
ches of ditch; a perch of ditch a day is hard work; then 1 had to graff it; it took 20 rl vs to the acre; grading is the hardest work a man can be at; while I was at if I drank but three gallons of milk ; I should take if at that work ; as for the family they would not touch it or ask it.
I spent the most of my time at that ground.
I got 12 barrels of potatoes last year * they were wet, and so light, that if 1 here was a wind they would fly to the other side of the road: if potatoes were Ad.
a weight, 1 should get lid.
for them; wc eat them ourselves.
I am getting nine barrels out of if this year, but the potatoes arc better ; they would be very good if I got the lime that 1 was promised."
The witness being desired to describe how he lived during the present year, says,
" Last 25th of March I took a corner, three or four ropes,* from a man that had an acre ; 1 wanted to build a cabin on it ,* 1 was oblio-ed to °-o to the gentlemen about to get sticks to roof it; I was only able to finish it about a month ago; while I was at it, myself and family lived in a neighbour's house ; it is covered with sods; if I thatched it, it would cost, mc another 1 /.;
though I have the use of it only so long, I must pay 11, for it next Lady-day.
We lived this year on them bad po¬ tatoes I told you of, and on some I had out of a quarter and a half of ground [ manured myself; part of my time that I was not working on the land or building the little house I went gathering-furze blossoms; 1 spent about 15 days at if; I sold 20 quarts atOcZ.
a quart, that was 10s.;
our potatoes were out the 24th of June ; I" got half a barrel on time; I was to pay l/.
; 15 s.
would buy them in the market ; after that 1 got half a bag of wheat at 12s.
I commenced digging potatoes about the 20th July; they were not ripe,but I should root them out if I could get anything, for I had no more credit.
I have two little pigs I bought six months ago, on time; I am to pay l(>s.
for the two ; with money T could get them for half that; I think I may be able to sell them, next 25th March, for 12s.
or 13s.
each.
I do not know how I shall be able to pay all 1 owe ; I took ho much on mc because I thought I should get the lime for the ground I graifed, and be able to sell from one to two barrels of potatoes out of it, and I thought there would be a better price for the pigs."
The wages of a labourer would not be more than Huilieicnt for his support, even if he had regular employment; where he has not, it is the utmost he can do to exist.
Daly says, " I know a labourer that lodges in the same house with me ; he is not long married; he has one child; he is very willing to work if he could get it, but ho is often without it; he is in debt 7s.
for rent; he did not borrow money, because he had no credit to get it.
Milk is veiy cheap now; you would get four quarts for 1 d.,
but 1 know that man and his wife not to taste a drop these three weeks, because they had not 1 d.
to gel it."
Early marriages are more common among farmers' sons, and more, particularly farmers' daughters, than in the poorer classes.
It arises from their having more means, and in case ofthe daughters, from the fathers being anxious to settle them in the world, to put them out of danger, and to ensure them protection.
Mr.
Hedges Kyrc ways,
" i believe early mar¬ riages among the peasantry to be.
a great evil.
1 do not know the cause, but 1 have heard some of themselves saying" that their richoH were their children."
Collins, a tradesman, says, "I often and often heard labouring boys say, 'A wife will not make me worse than J am, and if I have children, they will, may be, be a help to mc in my old days;' but 1 never knew any one to marry just for that reason."
Al5LE-B01>IEI> OUT OF WoiUC.
Mimster, County Cork.
.Exaiiiumtions
taken by Thomas JMurtin, Esq.
John Lalor, Esq.
Parish Macroom.
Bar.
WesiMuskerry.
Persons who attended the Examination.
imothy Callinan, farmer of qo acres.-—Mr.
Jeremiah Collins.—-Thomas
Fitzgerald, labourer.
—Dr.
Fitzgibbon, dispensary surgeon.—Michael
Galway, esq.—
Jamfs Hayes, farmer of 65 Parishes Carbery.
acres.—Thomas
Hungereoed, esq.,
j.
p.
Cabirmore.—Thomas
Hungeiu'Oiid, esq.—Nicholas
.Bar.
East Carbery, Lombard, beggar.—Daniel
Maiiony, farmer of 45 acres.
-Mr.
John Maiiony, shopkeeper.—
(West Division.)
r.
Kane Mahony—John Eugene Macaiithv, esq.,
undcr-agent to Lord Carbery.—Rev.
Joiemiah: Maloney, p.p.—John
Menahan, labourer.—Richard
Smith, esq.,
j.
p.—Mr.
John olpe, farmer—Rev.
Joshua Wood, protestant curate.—And
several others.
niimbp m?n+fls10*:
January, February and July are the periods ofthe year at which the greater but 7v a • labounug Population of this parish are usually unable to find employment; ulrn'mJ • xni,P tlle remainder of the year, the proportion of the employed to the unem-Foyed is, at all times, very inconsiderable.
*
Many
0.5.
* About the tenth part of an acre.
3k4
