The Letters of "Norah" on Her Tour Through IrelandNorah
History
The Letters of "Norah" on Her Tour Through Ireland
Norah
Ireland -- Description and travel
In one hovel a little boy lay dying of consumption--another name for
cold and hunger--his bed a few rags, a bit of sacking and a tattered
coat the only bed-clothes. "I am very bad entirely, father," was the
little fellow's complaint. I stood back while the father talked to him,
and it was easy to see that he had well practised how to be a son of
consolation. It was a cold windy day, and the wind blew in freely
through the broken door. Surely, I thought, the workhouse would be
comparative comfort to this child; but it seems that the whole family
must go in if he went. The saddest consideration of all is the want of
work--excitement like what is in the country now must be bad for idle
and hungry men.
Mr. Corscadden and Mr. Tottenham, the contractor for the railway, are
the two landlords who are most unpopular. Mr. White, one of those who
had the cattle seized for rent, is also unpopular, very. Mr. Corscadden
is a new landlord, comparatively speaking; was an agent before he became
a proprietor. He is at open war with his tenantry. He requires an escort
of police. His son has been shot at and missed by a narrow enough shave,
one ball going through his hat, another grazing his forehead. This is
coming quite nigh enough. Some buildings on his property in which hay
was stored were burned--by the tenants, thinks Mr. Corscadden; by the
Lord, say the people. I hope to see Mr. Corscadden personally, so I have
made particular enquiries as to what he has done to deserve the ill-
feeling that rages against him.
The chief charges against Mr. Corscadden are wasting away the people off
the land to make room for cattle and black-faced sheep; taking from the
people the mountain attached to their farms which they used for pasture,
and then doubling the rent on what remained after they had lost part.
The land out by Glenade (the long glen) is very poor in parts. The
amount of cultivated fields does not seem enough to supply the
inhabitants with food. The country has in a large degree gone to grass.
There is also a suspicion of grass on the mountain sides which are bare
of heather and whins. They say the grass is sweet and good, and that
cattle flourish on it, but the improved quality of stock and milch cows
require additional tub feed to keep them in a thriving condition. There
are some rich-looking fields, but the most of the land has a poverty-
stricken look and the large majority of the houses are simply
abominable.
It is spring weather and spring work is going on. Men are putting out
manure, carrying it in creels on their backs. Asses are the prevailing
beasts of burden, carrying about turf in creels or drawing hay--a big
load to a small ass. Men and women and children are out planting
potatoes in patches of reclaimed bog. Very few cattle are to be seen
compared to the extent of the grazing lands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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