THE DISTRESS IN DONEGAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 510, 19 January 1883, Page 3

THE DISTRESS IN DONEGAL.

The following letter has been addressed to the Freeman : — Kilcar, county Donegal, 11th Nov., 1882. Sir, — Just at present the burning memory of the horrors of '46 and '47 is being recalled amongst the poor people of this parish They are this day trembling in contemplation of that event when they see the potato crop, their staple article of diet, all but gone. These poor, honest, industrious peasants entirely depend on the hazards of one crop, and if that crop fail inevitable want and misery must be the result. They are destitute of any other aid. They have no manufacturing industries, no public works, no labour of any kind by which they could earn something to arrest the existing distress consequent on the total failure of the potato. The whole parish (650 families) are utterly without reserve or resource to fall back on in time oE reverse. The state of things will be for them, unless aided very soon, critical and alarming in the extreme. I may say there has been amongst them for many years past a partial famine owing to the failing harvests ; but the terrific storm that raged along these coasts on the Ist October last swept away the greater part of their grain and bay, and, too, carried off the roofs of their little cabins, leaving neither scraws nor timber behind. Some of these cabins are still unroofed, the occupants finding shelter in their neighbours' houses, being unable to roof them for want of means. I have had an ample opportunity for the last month of going through the parish. I visited many of their houses (if houses some of them may be called), I saw the quantity of potatoes they had gathered in, and with a safe conscience I can tell the public that the half of these 650 families have not the seed for the coming Spring, and I am sorry to say that many of them have not a four-footed animal for market. They do not wish for the pauper's dole if they could avoid it. What they want and what they desire is employment. Their voices are now raised in warning to the Government that a dreadful catastrophe is at hand, and will that Government be deaf to the cry of a people who will, without doubt, starve in the near future unless promptly relieved 1 I hope not. If the Government fear exaggeration, let them at once institute an official investigation. Unfortunately some of us know the sad and lamentable result of the delay of giving aid in '47. Thes« poor people, too, would be most anxious to take advantage of the Arrears Act, but it is not in the power of many of them. They have not the rent to pay, and, as I said before, they have nothing to bring , to the market to make up the rent required. I am forming a committee, which will receive and acknowledge any help coming from a charitable hand to a people in veritable need — a people who have to tide over a long space of nine months, and who have not, I may say, at this moment a potatoe to eat ; no money ; no credit. I'll repeat it, if there be doubt cast on, the above meagre statement of facts, let things be examined, however superficially, and it will be fouad that the dark side of the picture is not exhibited. — I am, Mr. Editor, yours faithfully, \ , Patbick Logue, P.P.