There was none died around here with hunger in the Famine : oral traditions of the Great Irish Famine

Abstract

This thesis is an examination of seven oral tradition reports, resulting from the distribution of the Famine questionnaire, by the Irish Folklore Commission, in 1945. The aim is to assess the validity of oral tradition as a source on the Great Irish Famine. The seven reports are analysed and compared with other relevant sources, including relief commission papers, outrage reports, contemporary newspapers, travellers’ accounts, estate records and contemporary writings. The study includes statistical tables classifying the oral tradition references by content. The seven chapters encompass seven different aspects of the Famine, covered in the reports. The introduction examines the ethodological issues concerning oral sources, particularly oral tradition. It also provides information on the collection of the oral tradition reports. Finally, it introduces an outline of previous work on the subject. Chapter one examines oral tradition references to pre-Famine Ireland. These references are compared with other accounts of pre-Famine Ireland, including travellers’ accounts, the Poor Law Inquiry, the Devon Commission and the census of 1841. In their descriptions of pre-Famine Ireland, informants do not appear to search for signs of an impending disaster. Chapter two analyses the oral tradition references describing the arrival of the potato blight in Ireland. The oral traditions provide a unique insight into the reaction of local communities to the devastation of their main food source. Chapter three considers the oral traditions relating to famine mortality and disease. There is a discernible distancing of both an inform ant’s family and locality from Famine suffering. A similar distortion occurs in the identification of Famine victims. Informants are more likely to identify victims of disease than victims of starvation. The oral traditions provide a unique insight into the location of Famine graves in a community and detail the difficulty of providing proper burials and funerals during the Famine. Chapter four examines the oral traditions relating to the various relief efforts of the government. The traditions are compared with relevant sources, including relief commission papers. This examination provides a unique insight into the reaction of local communities who were on the receiving end of government relief efforts. The consensus is broadly negative. Although the oral traditions do not allude to specific politicians, political parties or relief acts, detailed descriptions of the suffering and deaths of people in receipt of relief indicate that government relief efforts were perceived to have failed. As in chapter three, I have detected distortions connected with the identification of recipients of relief The examination of oral traditions relating to landlords, and their comparison with sources such as estate records, reveals a tenant-biased view of landlords. Little attempt is made to understand the position of the landlord. However, oral tradition also identifies landlords who provided assistance to their tenants. The chapter on proselytism reveals bitter memories surrounding the activities of evangelical missionaries during the Famine. An examination of the oral traditions in different areas reveals that oral tradition correctly identifies the areas in which the efforts of proselytisers were focused. Chapter seven analyses oral traditions relating to crime and compares the details with relevant sources such as outrage reports and contemporary newspaper articles. The traditions provide details on hitherto unreported crimes and provide an insight into attitudes towards crime. Censure towards individuals involved in petty larceny is rare and criminal activity is implicitly ascribed to economic pressure, rather than evil intent. This study of these reports reveals the unique value of oral traditions as a source on the Famine. It demonstrates that factual details are retained and previously uncovered details are revealed in oral tradition. As well as providing an intimate insight into how a local community experienced the Famine, oral tradition offers an insight into the construction of memory and reveals how a community remembers a traumatic episode such as the Famine.