The Irish Potato Famine

This week we have been learning about the Irish Potato Famine. We have been exploring the interactive website www.irishpotatofamine.org which gives us an insight into what life was like during the famine. We have been reading about the Landlords of the time and the workhouses. 163 workhouses were built in Ireland from 1840 to 1853. If a family was starving to death, their last resort was the workhouse. The Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar operated as a Workhouse from 1842 until 1921. The workhouse buildings have since been demolished however the Sacred Heart Hospital now lies on the site. This Summer the Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD unveiled a memorial plaque on the site of the Sacred Heart Hospital in memory of the people who lived and now rest on the site of the hospital. To learn more about the famine in Mayo click on this link from the Mayo County Library. To learn more about the Workhouse in Castlebar Click here Click here to learn a little bit more about the Moore's of Moorehall - considered to be amoung the good landlords. Click here to listen to the children of Ballyglass NS telling the story of the famous horse Coranna.