June 25th 1842
THE GALWAY STARVATION RIOTS.
The foregoing illustration is intended to convey an idea of the state of desperation
to which the poor of Galway have been reduced by the present calamitous season
of starvation; and although, according to present appearances, there is every
reason to rely on the goodness of Providence for an abundant and early relief,
yet it is calculated that more than another month of suffering and privation
must elapse before succour arrives. The scene represented above is an attack
upon a potato store in the town of Galway, on the 13th of the present month,
when the distress had become too great for the poor squalid and unpitied inhabitants
to endure their misery any longer, without some more substantial alleviation
than prospects of coming harvest; and their resource in this case was to break
open the potato stores and distribute their contents, without much discrimination,
among the plunderers, and to attack the mills where oatmeal was known to be
stored. During the entire of that day the town was in the possession of a fierce
and ungovernable mob, led on apparently by women and children, but having an
imposing reserve in the rear of the Claddagh fishermen. The Sheriff, with a
strong force of police and the depôt of the 30th Regiment, which constitutes
the garrison, vainly attempted to restrain them. They assailed him and his armed
bands with showers of stones, which wounded the commanding officer of the military
party in the head, and hurt several of the men. But, with singular forbearance
and humanity, the gallant Thirtieth held their fire, and, as it was impossible
to disperse such a mob without firing amongst them, the millers were induced
to promise that meal should be retailed on the following morning at 15d. a stone.
The discontent of the sufferers had been aggravated by the unfeeling, and, there
was some reason to suspect, the dishonest artifices of those who had food to
sell. Farmers, known to have abundant supplies of potatoes, had not only refused
to part with any portion of them at the present high prices, but had actually
sent into the markets and made purchases, in order to augment the scarcity.
Numbers of dealers also, speculating on a rise, had stored quantities of provisions,
which they refused to give out at a fair profit; and in several instances these
persons had cleared out the markets the instant they were opened, and left the
poor famishing housekeepers, with their money in their hands, in the midst of
apparent plenty, unable to procure even the supply of a single day.
To this cause is to be attributed the various disturbances which occurred at
Loughrea and Galway; the people insisting upon the farmers retailing provisions
to them out of the sack, instead of disposing of its contents wholesale to huxters
and forestallers; and the magistrates generally, with proper discretion and
humanity, enforcing the reasonable demands of the people.
The Claddagh fishermen, to signalise their victory, insisted upon a general
illumination of the town, and ordered the joy-bells of the collegiate church
to ring out a merry peal. Their requisitions were complied with in both cases.
The joy-bells tang out a merry peal, and the inhabitants in general put lights
into their windows. Thus, for several hours, the capital city of Connaught remained
in possession of a lawless rabble, while the armed authorities of the country
retired before them.
The following is the latest account from this distressed district:-- "Galway,
June 20. (From our own correspondent.) Since the disturbance of Monday last
this town has been perfectly tranquil. The fishermen took to their boats and
went to sea early in the week, and provisions having experienced a seasonable
reduction in price, no further commotion is apprehended. It was feared that
the country people, hearing of the violence committed on Monday, would not bring
their goods into the market; and on Wednesday the supply was scanty from that
cause. But an abundance of potatoes was brought in on Saturday, and sold a fourpence
a stone. This is not an extravagant price, though a fraction over threepence
always pinches the poor man; but in the present dearth of employment any price
at all must distress him. Of the scarcity of money you may judge from this fact,
of which I can assure you from personal observation, that at Loughrea, in this
county, when the famishing people were riotously assembled to oppose the forestallers
in the potato market, eggs were offered for sale at five for a penny, and chickens,
quite fit for the pot, were sold for sevenpence a couple.
After a long drought we have been visited with seasonable and refreshing rain,
which only seemed wanting to confirm our anticipation of an abundant and early
harvest.