Journal Volume 5 2006

Surplus People from Newcastle and Ballyvolan (continued/10)

Reference Sources

[1] www.Dunbrody.com: as I write, March 16th, 2004, the Dunbrody has just returned to her New Ross berth after a week's sojourn to Waterford to advertise the Tall Ships Race in 2005. The trip was made under tow.

[2] When the Fitzwilliam family sold what remained of the Coolattin estate in about 1970, they donated most of the papers to the National Library. Ledgers and memoranda show the close interest Fitzwilliam took in the day-to-day proceedings of Coolattin.

[3] National Library of Ireland, ms 4962.

[4] Devon Commission Report, p.543, Witness No.956, Rev Daniel Kavanagh, curate in Carnew.

[5] For a full account of how the Poor Law operated in County Wicklow see Ó Cathóir, E., 'The Poor Law in County Wicklow' in Hannigan & Nolan (eds) Wicklow History & Society (1994).

[6] National Library of Ireland, ms 18429 (1-4).

[7] Ibid, notebook 2.

[8] National Library of Ireland, ms 4974.

[9] For an account of what they found there, see Rees, J. Surplus People (2000).

[10] It is impossible to give an exact figure. When a tally is made of all the names in the Emigration Books the total figure is 5,995, but there are several families listed for emigration in the 1847 book who also appear in later years, having delayed their departure for some reason. Also, when some family lists in the Emigration Books are compared with the passenger lists of the ships on which they sailed, there are often discrepancies. Some family members seem to have pulled out at the last minute, while some names are included on the passenger list which did not appear in the Emigration Books. Six thousand is a round figure that is not far off the actual number.

[11] National Library of Ireland ms 4975 (1848) reference 163.

[12] Ibid. reference 164.

[13] Ibid. reference 165.

[14] Rees, J. Surplus People pp.53-6.

[15] I find it difficult to believe that not even one of almost six thousand people did not leave some record of their transatlantic experience. The fact that I have not found such a record does not mean that at least one does not exist. I live in hope.

[16] See Connolly, S. J., priests and People in Pre-Famine Ireland for patterns of religious observance.

[17] Whyte, Robert, 1847 Famine Ship Diary, p.14.

[18] Ibid. p.23.

[19] Ibid. p.32.

[20] Quoted in Hoffman & Taylor (1999), Across the Waters: Ontario Immigrants’ Experiences 1820 – 1850, p.68.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid. p.69.

[23] See Rees, J. A Farewell To Famine (1994)

[24] Quoted in Hoffman & Taylor, p.107

[25] Coleman, Terry Passage to America(1972). I've mislaid the page reference.