The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-04-13
FRIGHTFUL DEsTITUTIoN IN IRE.
LAND.

The Catholic clergy of Donegal some
time ago issued an appeal on behalf Of
the peasantry of certain parts of that
county, amongst whom, they alleged
great destitution and distress existed
In consequence of the truth of their
statements having been questioned, a.
special reporter, at the request o. the
relief committee, has been sent down
by the proprietors of the Dublin Even
ing Post to make investigation on the
spot, and in Communication to that
paper of Tuesday, tie 10th. We find the
result of his visit and inquiries. Gwee:
dore and Cloughaniely, the districts in
question, embrace territory of noun
tain and bog, with an occasional strip of
arabic land, lying on the northwest of
Donegal. The weather at the time of
the visit was very severe. and tlie ground
covered with snow Oa reaching the
scene of destitution, says the reporter,
II perceived perhaps one hundred and
fifty persons, male and female, waiting
with their petitions and memorials in
hand to be presented for relief OF
these the majority were matrens, bare
foot and without stockings, and some of
rhose who possessed the luxury of stock
ings had not shoes or brogans. The.
bare limbs of these women appeared to
be swollen and covered with chilblains."
/ He visited some of their houses-if
houses they can be called. Here is
description ~ entered one on all
fours, through hole in the wall, and
there I found an aged matron. Father
Doherty preceded and led the way, or 1
dare say I should have been denied ad-
mittance to that abode of misery and
destitution. Shs was seated before a
fire on the hearth, the turf of which had
J been dug by the male members of the
family. There was no window or aper.
ture to admit the light of day, save the
hole by which I entered. There, and
elsewhere, there was no time to be lost.
} The inquiry was proceeded with By
Father Doherty, who showed me the
bed on which some of the family lay,
7 and here is a true description The
head of the bed was in the corner, a few
e sods of earth at head and foot to sup.
, port it, board for the side, with few
3 sticks thrown across; one end inserted
r in the wall, and the other end supported
i, by stones and turf There was no bed
r tick no clothing with the exception O
' "a woolen rag, which could not bear the
name of a blanket, ner was it sufficient
. in size for single grown adult, certain
e ly not Fit to cover a person of full growth
? Here in this hoyel, unfit for the habita
a ton of single human creature, ther,
: were seven persons-I think the mum
. Der was seven"
Oftheir food he says lin anothel
! house we asked what their food was, ant
they exhibited metal pot which con
tanned tho meal for the family. Thii
chopped or pounded potatoes in pulp
and with this pulp re-heated, and with
some sea-wood, which they exhibited il
wooden vessel, called noggin, they
made up their dinner and supper in one
meal"
The two following pictures of distress
he says apply to two hundred cases
"The day was awfully severe, and al
who oould remain inside doors without
the pressing necessity of going abroad
, were huddled about the FIRE. In one O
these domicils there was female, ani
she was one of many in the fifteen ol
: twenty houses I explored in this pari
of Gweedore. She was about sixteen,
and when called upon by Father Doh.
erty to come faruard she advanced
with an air of confidence, perfectly un-
coneious of the gracefulness and beauty
of her form. This poor helpless child
was not clad, unless you could call a
shapeless garment, thrown over without
inner covering, clothing. But In this
house there was another female, older
than the one whom I have just now in
troduced. This was about twenty or
there abouts. This poor creature had
neither shoe or stocking, and avoiding
the pre- once of strangers shrunk away
back into the obscure corner in the
dark, from which she had been reluctant
| ly drawn by the priest he recovered. 2
1 In conclusion the reporter states
"What have now said of a few cases
might apply to all I have seen of depior-
able distress in this district of the
Gweedore, adjoining the place where
the chapel was burned, and not far from
the residence of Father Magee, the par
ish priest. But / was informed by
many that there are districts still more
miserable and desolate in tae more re
mote and isolated parts of Gweedore.n
TIE CoMInc SuMMER.--It is said