1846 AD
" THE GREAT FAMINE / An Gorta Mor continues on."
1846
AD
Charles Trevelyan the committed "Permanent Under - Secretary" to the British Imperial Treasury for "Famine Relief," who was a fully devoted Conservative of "Laissez Faire"" (Let the Market Rule), instead of immediately "dispersing" the much needed Indian Corn to the desperate starving Irish population continued to "store" it for another 2 months, just to keep the "local" prices "up," before he opened the depots, to sell it to anyone who could "afford" to buy it among what was now the even more "desperate starving" population in Ireland and to add to the desperation he was then to "close" the Corn depots in the Summer for another "month" just in anticipation of an "Autumn" potato harvest. He then tried to bring in another "Irish Coercion Bill" with "transportation" for 15 years against "anyone" who desperately tried to gain any of the "provisions" that were still available in Ireland for any chance of their families to survive the continuing devestating effects of the ever - expanding "Great Famine."
William Smith - O Brien, the Anglo - Irish Land Lord, who had been born at Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province, had co - founded the "Irish Confederation" with John Mitchell the Unitarian journalist who had been determined to bring about "Irish Independence," but he then suddenly decided to withdraw from the "Irish Confederation" although he was also previously a member of the "United Irishmen Society" also who had nearly all, by now, been "exiled" out of Ireland, for their committment to alleviate the oppression and misery, which may have come about by him being warned off by the other members of the Ascendancy Establishment of which he was still a part of.
The "compact" between Daniel O Connell
- the Liberator who was in reality an "Irish
Patriot" not a "Nationalist,"
and the
"Young Irelanders" who
were fully committed "Irish Nationalists," now
came to an "end" once and for all, when
Daniel O Connell committed the
"Repeal of the
Immoral Union Association" not to be
involved in the use of any "armed force" in trying
to
persuade the British Imperial Government to bring about
"reform" in
Ireland,
but
the situation in the "rural areas" in
Ireland
was by now becoming extremely "desperate" and the various "Secret Societies"
were now more "active again" trying to
obtain some "relief" from the harshness that the
Land
Lords on their confiscated Estates were carring out on their "tenant farmers"
and their families in
Ireland.
The new "robust" activities that were now being carried out by these
"Secret Societies"
really suited the "agenda" of the desperate
"Young Irelanders,"
who were now excited by the possibilities and some of
them left the
"Repeal of the Immoral Union Association"
altogether, while others were also
"expelled" from the "Immoral Union Association" for displaying their intention to try and
bring about a more "immediate" result for the Land Lords' suffering "tenants" in Ireland by the use of
"revolutionary force," if
necessary. From this time on the "Young
Irelanders,"
who were disposed to do so, were to continue on with their "own agenda" independently for another
4 years,
pushing forward their "revolutionary" proposition for
"Irish Freedom / Self Determination,"
and this particular activity then went someway towards keeping "alive" the previous
diminished
"spirit" of the similar body who had gone before them in the guise of the
"United
Irishmen Society."
This year the "potato crop" in Ireland, had been planted "earlier" to try and also get through the "Hungry Months" when there would be "no potato crops" available at all, while many of the "Conacre" lots that had been previously rented out for only a "short period" of cropping, were also "not let out" at all this year, due to the rent to be paid now being required in "advance" by the Land Lords on their confiscated Estates, and to make matters even worse still this would also be followed by a "total loss" of the "potato crop" the following year in 1847.
June:
Sir Robert "Orange"" Peel,
the British Imperial Tory Prime Minister, finally
came to realise that the situation in Ireland was
"getting
worse" so he decided he would have to go against the "agendas" of the "Laissez Faire Protectionists"
in the Conservative Tory Party, and was now
also looking towards the "Whigs" and
the "Radicals"
in the "British Parliamentary Opposition" in the Westminster Parliament, to give him
their "support" to "repeal"
the "harsh"
British Imperial "Corn Laws"
previously "imposed" on the Irish population, but unfortunately it was all
"too late," as he was soon to be
"defeated"
by the "Irish Coercion Bill,"
that had been
brought about after the
previous "outbreaks" of desperate "violence" over the "hold up" of the
Indian Corn that he had
basically purchased on his "own" initiative to try and bring about some
relief in
Ireland.
(This was also to mean that the disposal of this particular important "food" source
in
Ireland
was now to come completely under the "total control" of
the
penny-pinching Conservative
Charles Trevelyan.) The
"Laissez Faire Protectionists," in a bid to get
back at Sir Robert "Orange" Peel for interfering in the
"Corn" trade had "combined" their vote
once again in their commercial "interest only" to that of the
"Whigs," the "Radicals" and
the "Repealers" to get rid of him
altogether.
July - late: A dreadful "stench" was
noticed
at this time coming from out of the "ground" throughout Ireland, and there were
"diseased blackened" leaves showing up on the "potato" plants, and many labourers
realising what was occurring in
desperation "repudiated"
their agreements to work on farms for a "potato patch only," and they cried out for
"cash" instead to survive and
work the land, to ensure that they were to receive the means for their families
somehow to "survive,"
as "tenant" farming was not now practical, and to this end they abandoned their "potato" plots to try and obtain
emplyment in
"Public
Works" or they had surrender up their dignity and independence and go into the Work Houses, and besides this drastic measure the
"potato seed"
itself was nearly "unprocurable" even if you had the money to "buy" some.
Emigration figures from Ireland jumped up to 106,000 people, with three quarters of these going to the "United States of America," while 19,000 also made it all the way to Australia, and the rest migrated to British North America.
September: Despite the ongoing overall "starvation" of the Irish population being allowed to "continue on" under the ongoing "export" of Irish production by the British Imperial Whig Government, and because of the "systemic malnutrition" it was only natural that an outbreak of "Fevers" would also continue to occur, and this month in Belfast in the north - east of the Ulster Province, due to the "refugees" in the surrounding "rural areas" fleeing there also for assistance, it broke out there, so a Central Board of Health was set up to organize a system of temporary "Fever" hospitals, which were to operate until 1849 AD.
October: Lord
John Russell,
the British Imperial Whig Prime Minister,
showed the true measure of the "Immoral Union"
with
England, when he openly stated
that, "We
cannot afford to feed the people in
Ireland, their
poverty must be supported by
Irish property"despite
all of the previous revenues going to the "Absentee Land Lords" in England
Though there was by now well established widespread "Death"
and "Disease" throughout
Ireland, due to the
indifference to the overall humane crisis, by the British
Imperial Whig Government, they still decided in their commercial greed,
racism and lack of any
humanity, to continue on with their Laissez Faire policy of "Let the
market forces rule." They then issued instructions to all of the
Relief Committees in
Ireland, that they were
"not to sell" any food "below" the "market prices" in any area
at all, so as
not to "interfere"
with their normal trading opportunities, which was in direct opposition to the original intentions of
Sir Robert "Orange" Peel, to give the
initial starving population in Ireland the opportunity to purchase cheaper
"Corn,"
to survive, if they had the money to do so,
and things were far, far worse by now.
The British Imperial Whig
Lord Lieutenant
in Ireland,
now "disowned any responsibility" at all to the
"population"
in Ireland under the auspices of the
"Immoral Union," while on the other hand the
Land Lords took this further advantage to "clear" their
"confiscted" Estates
in Ireland again of all of their "tenant farmers" and
their families
by "eviction." If
Ireland had
truly been part of the
United Kingdom,
as it was supposed to be under the
"Immoral Union," it should have been the
responsibility of the
British
Imperial Government at Westminster,
who had "created" the "economic destruction" of the Irish
population in the first place,
to ensure the well being of all of the Irish people, who they had
continually "restricted, oppressed and economicaly repressed", by now,
for nearly 700 years.
Daniel O Connell the Liberator "denounced" the "miserable relief" measures taken by the British Imperial Whig Government in Ireland, but still continued on with them as their "unofficial advisor" on Irish Affairs, always hoping to bring about an "improvement" to the Whigs' disposition of what was really occurring in Ireland, and there were also attempts to try and reconcile the "political differences" that had occurred in Ireland between Daniel O Connell and the impatient members of the "Young Irelanders," to bring about any chance of "reform" in Ireland, but they came to "nothing."
Many "deaths" due to the ongoing never - ending "starvation" were now occurring in Ireland, under the "Immoral Union" and the self-indulgent irresponsible policies of the pompous "indifferent" British Whig Imperial Government whose only real policy was Laissez Faire, with no responsibility at all being accepted for the "lives" of the population in Ireland, although they were still supposed to be part of the United Kingdom and were under their direct total control of those who had created the terrible circumtances to bring about this great tragedy in the first place.
The Anglo - Celt newspaper was founded this year, which is still operating today in Co. Cavan in Southern Ulster.
Druishane House at Baltimore, in Co. Cork in Southern Munster, was this year to be the scene for the "worst kind" of Land Lord treatment to be handed out on any of their "confiscated" Estates in Ireland.
John Henry Newman,
the previous Ascendancy Church of England
prelate
at Oxford University, now became a
Catholic priest in England,
who would in the future as a Catholic Cardinal bring about "great change" in Ireland to
the Catholic Education system.
November: Viscount Midleton, who was a Land Lord, who had his "confiscated" Estates in Ireland at Cove in Co. Cork in Southern Munster, "evicted" 350 tenant farmers and their families.
The Society of Friends / Quakers who were by now well aware of what was occurring in Ireland began operating their "soup kitchens" in Co. Cork, in the Munster Province, where the Workhouse was originally built to hold 800 persons, but already held nearly 900 persons with another 300 to be added to these within 2 months, and 400 of these initial families where to be suffering from Fever, and reports of the terrible situation there spread throughout the whole World, which resulted in contributions to the Famine Relief from "other" Countries, wherever it was occurring in Ireland.
Steerage passage costs to Canada from Ireland were from 50 /- shillings to 60 / 2 1/2 pounds / 3 pounds,) to the USA - 70 / - shillings (3 1/2 pounds / 5 pounds,) which was in reality a "year's wages" for a common labourer, who had no work anyway, and therefore no chance of having such money to be able to pay, and were therefore not to be among those who were "economically" capable of "leaving" and they would naturally now be among those 1,000,00 who were to continue to die miserable "emaciated and excruciating" "painful deaths" along the byways throughout Ireland.
In desperation the Society of Friends / Quakers were to set up their "own" committees in London, and also in Dublin, to try and assist in Famine Relief in Ireland, while the British Imperial Whig Government under Lord John Russell were totally "indifferent" to the terrible inflictions that were now occurring in Ireland, just leaving it all to their Laissez Faire / own devices to work it out for themselves although they were the ones who had "total control" over the government of Ireland under the insipid tenets of the "Immoral Union."
While this terrible "Great Famine" was occurring the Land Lords in Ireland were also to continue on with further "evictions" of their "tenant farmers" and their families from off of their "confiscated" Estates, by tearing the roofs "off" of the cabins, forcing them out into what can only be described as terrible circumstances and "appalling weather" conditions that by now applied, and even to those in "whole villages," until 1847 AD.
James Fintan Lalor,
the father of
Peter
Lalor of
"Eureka Stockade" rebellion fame in
Australia, also wrote scathing articles for
"The
Nation" newspaper,
at this time until
1847 AD.
Charles Stewart - Parnell,
was "born" this year, who was to become a future
non - Catholic Land Lord, who was to have
5,000 acres
on his "confiscated" Estate
in Co. Wexford in the south - east of
Southern Leinster, and in the future he would
go were none of his class had gone before, while endeavouring to try and bring
about "Irish Home Rule," and also some
Michael Davitt / Mac Devitt, was born this year, at Straide near Castlebar in Co. Mayo in the mid - west of the Connacht Province, who would become, due to the continual British Imperial aggression against the population in Ireland, a committed "Fenian" at 19 years of age, and as a contemporary in the future, would work in with Charles Stewart - Parnell to bring about the return of the "rural land" of Ireland to the people of Ireland, by founding at that period in time the highly successful "Irish Land League."
Dr. Edward Walsh, was to become the Catholic
Bishop of
Ossory in Co. Kilkenny in the south - west
of Southern Leinster, until 1872 AD.
December: Over half of the existing Workhouses in Ireland by this month were "full," and were "refusing" any further admittance to those who were either "standing" if possible or lying around sick and emaciated "outside their walls," who were really "destitute," with many of these by this stage "very ill," and there was also a widespread shortage of bedding, clothing and medicine, and all of this misery led onto the practise of giving the clothing of the previously "deceased," directly to the new "destitute" people without any chance of "disinfecting," while a shortage of "coffins" for the people also meant many of their "emaciated and feverish" bodies were "interred" within the Workhouse area, even sometimes near the "water supply." Many of the Guardians and the Workhouse officers who were in Ireland, seeing the desperate plight constantly of the general population in Ireland, were also trying to give out "food" to those who they could not take in, although it was now an "illegal act" under British Imperial Law, and they were being widely "condemned" by the British Poor Law Commissioners, for doing so.
1846 AD - 1850 AD During this period in time, due to the lack of any real type of "responsible humanity" by the British Imperial Whig Government, 1,.000,000 or 1/8 of the population in Ireland were to die in terrible untold misery and emaciated pain, especially in Co. Cork, Co. Clare and Co. Kerry in the Munster Province, and also in Co. Galway and Co. Mayo in the west of the Connacht Province, which were the 5 most "western" Counties on the Atlantic seaboard of Ireland.
Aubrey de Vere the poet, who retold the "Irish Myths," also died this year, who had been born at Curragh Chase near Askeaton and his son who had also been born at Curragh Chase in 1814 AD, was also to be a poet, who would die in 1902.
James Clarence Mangan, who had been a "hedge schoolmaster" at Myross, between Castlehaven and Glandore Harbour, was also an Irish poet who wrote for "The Nation" newspaper, and had translated the poem by Sean O Coileain (1754 - 1816 AD) - the Silver Tongue of Munster, also died this year at Skibbereen in Co. Cork. George Darley, another Irish poet was also among those who died this year.
1846 AD - 1851AD During this period in time, Co. Cork in Southern Munster and Co. Leitrim in Northern Connacht, were to be the two most "effected" Counties, as to the ongoing terrible "deaths" due to the never - ending "starvation" and "emaciated sickness" that followed on from all of this "indifference," the likes of which no human being should ever have suffered under the overall protection of the "Immoral Union" and the British Imperial Empire. who was still to continue to ravage Ireland of all of its produce, while the population continued to "starve to death."
Owen Connellan published "The Annals of the 4 Masters" containing the "History and Genealogy of Ireland" up to 1636 AD in English.
1846 AD - 1853 AD During this period in time, while the population of
Ireland was suffering so dreadfully the English
Earl of Devonshire alone,
who had "confiscated" Estates also in Ireland, was to collect 300,300
pounds of "rent monies" from his "tenant farmers"
17,000,000 Pounds
of produce was still "exported" out of Ireland to
England
this year,
while a 100,000
British
Imperial Whig Government Millita was stationed in Ireland
to keep control over the "starving masses" due to their
"Immoral Union" from any chance of
gaining any type of "sustenance."