The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-08-24
HOW THEY LIVE AT CARNA.
A Populous but Wild and Sterile Pro
montory Of Galway Bay and What
There is There.
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE.

CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE
What the West Coast Of ireland 1s
Now and What it Was Some
Years Ago.
In November, 1887, a special CORE
spondent of the Manchester Guardian,
who had been visiting the congested and
poverty stricken districts on the west
coast of Ireland, sent a graphic and pa
thetic description of
THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE
at Carna, a populous but wild and ster~
lie promontory of Galway bay. 10 use
the words of the correspondent, 1T is
indeed singular place for any settle
ment Of man. Quite half the surface OF
the ground is bare granite or Silurlan
schist, and the rest is bog. Lakes and
inlets Of the sea have made the country
a perfect labyrinth. You come on
water every few wards, and you never
know (when the tide is high) whether
the water is fresh or salt. OF course
when the tide is low the seaWeed tells
you which is which. 1t seems lmpOs
sible to believe that 700 families can
find subsistence in such spot, and IN
truth the population IS the most miser-
ably poor in Ireland. Perhaps. if we
except the savages of Terra del Fuego,
they are the poorest IN lhe whole world. +"
The hardships endured by these people,
and their patient, peactable deposition, :,
as described by the Guardian CORES
pondent, appeared forcioly to the SYM
pathies OF many people in England.
and especially in Manchester. The first
indication Of this sympathy Was al
forded on the evening of the publica~
tion of the first lester of the Guardians
correspondent, when Sir Henry Roscoe,
in addressing a meeting at Longsight,
suggested that collection should be
made OIL the spot for the people OF
Carna. This was done, and the pro-
ceeds were at once remitted to Father
FlannerY, the devoted parish priest.
Amongst others whose compassion was
aroused was Mrs. j. W. Southern OF
Manchester. Sne communicated with
Father Flannery {who had been intro
duced by the correspondent to the Eng
lish people b. the familiar cognomen in
Galway, Father Tom") and to help in
relieving immediate wants sent parcels
of clothing, ETC., which we're gratefully
received. But help of a more perma-
nent kind was obviously needed, and
accordingly Mrs. Southern invited
Father Tom to send her for sale on their
behalf any knitted or other work ttat
the women and girls were capable Of
executing. The people joYfully availed
themselves of this opportunity of Sc
curing remur erative employment. and
considerable quantities OF stockings
were forthwith sent. Mrs. Southern
energeJically pushed the sale OF these
articles, but soon found that the supply
was likely to be greatly 10 excess OF the
demand, and that MANY of the purchases
made were, owing TO the very rude
character Of the work, practically in
tended to cover donations towards the
relief of
THE CARNA PEOPLE.
The difficulties thus encountered COM
PEELED Mrs. Southern to seek counsel
and help from some friends, who gladly
responded to her call, The result of
thus development Of the simple plan or
iginallY contemplated was resolution
to raise a fund for the purpose of pro-
viding instruction for the people in i'm
proved methods of knitting. weaving,
etc., and also in industries unknown IN
the district. Before asking the public
for money, however, it was determined
that visit should be paid to Carna to
ascertain the prospect Of success for the
proposed undertaking. Accordingly at
Easter. 1883, MIR. and Mrs. Southern,
Mi. Fred Scott and Mr.. L. G. Abbott
went to Carna, and as result of their
observations and inquiries. felt justified
IN calling a public meeting in Manches-
ter in July, 1888, at which the then
mayor (Sir J. j. HarWood) presided,
and Father Tom was present. Mrs.
Ernest Hart of London, whose excel
lent work in establishing industries III
Donegal is so we'll known, also attend
ed, and delivered an able and encourag-
ing address. The appeal made. was for
about e2O0 year for two years, to cover
the cost of instructing the people in the
best kinds of knitting and such other
kindred work as they might prove COM
petent to undertake. The amount
asked for was readily raised, and so the
Carna Industrial fund was established.
Within three months of the date of the
meeting in Manchester the committee
were able, through their president (Sir
H. E. Roscoe, M. P.,) to secure the Co
operation Of 9 London smallWare merch-s