Ferry Disaster Kilrush Union 1849 atCammoge

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moc66
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Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:53 pm

Ferry Disaster Kilrush Union 1849 atCammoge

Post by moc66 » Sat May 10, 2008 5:12 pm

Failte
These newspaper reports give a heart rendering account of Camouge Ferry Disaster which occurred on the evening of December 12th 1849. The boat was almost ashore on the return journey from Kilrush to Cammoge on the eastern tip of the Loop Head Peninsula when the tragedy occurred. The area where it happened can be looked at in the Clare Ordinance 1842 Map in Maps Section clarelibrary key in Cammoge in town lands. Also a fine feature article on the disaster by Mr Paddy Nolan was published in "The Other Clare" magazine of 2006. The Other Clare is a yearly publication of The Shannon Archealogy and Historical Society. Maybe the Clare Library will upload the feature at some stage on to this website. The occupants of the boat were returning after fruitless effort to obtain help from the Board of Guardians at the Kilrush Workhouse. They had crossed over early that morning after having walked 12miles or more from the Kilbaha, Cross and Carrigaholt areas to take the ferry to Kilrush. They remained all day in Kilrush outside the workhouse gates in the hope that their pleas for help would be listened to but to no avail.
The story of this tragedy is microcosm of the whole period from 1845 to 1850 which saw famine, disease, emigration and evictions decimate the population of the area known as the Kilrush Union, West and South West Clare.
moc66
Attachments
Ferry Disaster Dec 1849 Kilrush Union.doc
Ferry disaster at Cammoge reports taken form Freeman's Journal and other daily and weekly newspapers
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