Distress in Ennis (1878) reported in Freeman’s Journal

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Sduddy
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Distress in Ennis (1878) reported in Freeman’s Journal

Post by Sduddy » Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:23 am

Freeman’s Journal, Mon 4 Feb 1878:
Shocking Distress in Ennis. From our correspondent. Ennis, Saturday.
Mr Thomas Greene, J.P., Chairman of the Town Commissioners, presided last night at a meeting of the committee organised by him to raise a fund for the relief of the poor of Ennis, who are in a most destitute state owing to the recent severe weather, which put a stop to work for artisans or labourers, owing to the constant prevalence of rain. There were present eight commissioners and four of the local Catholic clergy.
The Chairman announced the amount contributed only reached, after circulars being forwarded to every quarter, to about £150, a very little having been sent in from the town.
Michael Loftus, Sanitary Inspector, who had been deputed by the committee to furnish a list, after personal examination and strict inquiry of parties most in want of relief, read a most astounding report of the result, showing that an amount of destitution and wretchedness exists in hovels and cabins outside the main business streets, unsurpassed in any other portion of Ireland. He has visited cabins almost roofless, where in corners there were straw beds set upon ground floors, with three, four and five in each of a family, without any distinction of sex. They had no bed covering but their own wretched day garments, and not a spark of fire.
The Chairman said he was taken by surprise at this announcement, as he really did not think there were so many families in the town, irrespective of the deplorable condition narrated by the sanitary inspector.
Inspector – there are, sir, and numbers more whom I have not visited. The well-to-do people of Ennis know nothing about it.
Mr. Costello – It is a sad state of things, and workhouse relief of a favourable kind available.
Inspector – They would starve and die before they would go in there. No one would think of it. If you advised them to do so, you would have the --.
Mr. John Cahir – It is quite true the working classes in this country abhor the idea of the workhouse, and would perish with their feeble little ones beside the cheerless embers of an empty hearth, and lie upon the earth floor of a roofless cabin sooner than enter it. They are looked upon as bastilles.
The Inspector’s list having been read over, the descriptive particulars were astounding.
Father Scanlan asked him if he had taken down the name of some poor woman near the town who had sheltered herself by erecting something in the shape of a shed or hovel – he did not know which to call it. She was in a most wretched state, and would not upon any account go into the workhouse.
Inspector – I have, sir. During the summer months, before she stuck up that shed, were she used to sleep was in the churchyard, and would not go into the workhouse.
The business was concluded by appointing a deputation to collect subscriptions through the town
Clare Freeman, Wed 6 Feb 1878:
Distress in Ennis. The Freeman’s Journal, in referring to the report of the proceedings of the Ennis Poor Relief Fund Committee, held at the Town Hall last Thursday night, says: “Our readers will peruse with profound regret the report we elsewhere publish of the meeting at Ennis to raise funds for the relief of the poor now suffering great misery in the capital of Clare. Both town and Country in Ireland are now suffering from the bad harvest, the wet and inclement winter, and other causes, and it appears from the statement of the Sanitary Inspector that in Ennis the general destitution has been felt with terrible severity. The poor people, as is usual, exhibit the greatest unwillingness to enter the workhouse, a feeling honourable in itself, and one which, on the grounds of pure selfishness, even the well-to-do ought encourage. It is better for the ratepayers to enable the struggling poor man to tide over a temporary difficulty than that he should break up his little home, enter the workhouse, and thus become a permanent burden upon the rates. The brief but very startling account of the Sanitary Inspector shows how real and pressing distress is in Ennis, and we therefore do most earnestly trust that the charitable and kindhearted will come forward to the aid of the struggling poor of the town. Already £150 has been subscribed, and we trust that this sum will be considerably supplemented. The committee who have taken charge of this matter include eight of the Ennis Commissioners and four of the Catholic clergy of the town, and therefore those who give will have the satisfaction of knowing that their contributions have passed into the right channel, and will be well and wisely administered. We regret to have to add that it is not from Ennis alone cries of distress reach us, and hat there is every reason for believing that this is one of the worst years which Ireland has gone through since the hard times – a perfect food and fuel famine existing in parts of the country.”
Clare Freeman, Sat 9 Feb 1878:
The sum now realised in aid of the Ennis Poor Relief fund exceeds £200, and a distribution will be made early next week. Mr Loftus, Sanitary Inspector, has furnished the names of over 500 persons in an abject state of distress.
Clare Freeman, Sat 16 Feb 1878:
The distress in Ennis. A letter was read from the Local Government Board stating their attention had been called to a report in the Freeman’s Journal, (a slip of which was enclosed) of proceedings of the relief committee on the distress prevailing in Ennis, and asking the observations of the guardians thereon.
Considine, the relieving officer, was interrogated, but could not contradict what was stated by the sanitary officer, who had been deputed to make a general return of the destitute state of the poor.
The clerk said, the relieving officer’s duty only entitled him to enter houses occupied by parties who sought relief.
The Chairman asked Mr Greene (chairman of the relief Committee) his opinion of the report in question.
Mr Greene replied if a few members of the board went to the committee meeting that night, they could satisfy themselves from what would be detailed, of the wretchedness and misery of the poor of the town, and it would be also well if the relieving officer attended. He had himself been astonished at the deplorable disclosures made.
The relieving officer was directed to have some information to give next day of meeting.
The board then adjourned.
The letter from the Local Government Board was read again at the next Ennis Union meeting:
Clare Freeman, Sat 23 Feb 1878: Ennis Union. [Correspondence]
Dublin 12th Feb. Sir, The Local Governement Board for Ireland desire to inform the Board of Guardians of Ennis Union that their attention has been drawn to a paragraph in the Freeman’s Journal of the 4th inst. headed “Shocking Distress in Ennis,” being a report of a meeting of a committee organised by the chairman of the Town Commissioners to raise funds for the relief of distress in that town. A copy of the report is enclosed, and the Board will feel obliged for any observations the Guardians have to make on the statements contained therein, after consultation with the relieving officer as to the condition of the poor of the town. By order of the Board. B. Banks.

Mr Considine, Relieving Officer reported “that being unable to make a house and house inquiry, the only information upon the subject, that he could give, was from his local knowledge of the suburbs and back streets of the town, localities which could not be otherwise that in extreme circumstances, through want of employment, the high rate of provisions, and adverse unfavourable weather. He had in his capacity of relieving officer prudently abstained from putting himself forward too conspicuously in seeking distress, deeming it his duty to await the applications of the indigent rather than to canvass for them, which when made to him he was ready to relieve – at the same time he believed that very trying and severe poverty exists, as will always occur at this season of the year, and from the causes he had referred to – at the same time he was not prepared to endorse to the entire extent that designated in the Freeman’s Journal “Shocking Distress.” As to the woman referred to as having slept in the Church-yard, her name is Betty Welsh. The occasion of her sleeping there was about 14 years ago, and since the 21st April 1869 she had been fourteen times relieved in the workhouse. She made fifteen applications for out-door relief, and was upon each occasion ordered into the workhouse, the Board of Guardians being of the opinion, in which he coincided, that in-door relief was more suitable for her than out-door.”
Mr Greene, Chairman of the Relief Committee said that as regarded allusion to the woman sleeping in a Church-yard it arose this way. Her name was mentioned at a committee meeting by a Rev Gentleman as occupying some wretched shed, and by way of indication, without referring to any date, the answer was made “that’s the poor woman who used to sleep in the Church-yard.” It appeared now her doing so was some years ago.
After discussing the matter the Chairman drew up the following: -
That in reply to the letter of the Local Government Board of Feb. 12, in reference to a paragraph in the Freeman’s Journal as to the distress in Ennis, the Board of Guardians beg to say that there does unfortunately at present exist in Ennis a large amount of exceptional distress, partly caused by want of employment, and partly caused by the bad weather during the past autumn and winter. This distress is being met by the liberal contributions of private charity, which is being distributed among them in money, and by giving employment to heads of families able to work. The people being relieved are persons who would not make application to the workhouse for relief. The Guardians wish to state that all cases of destitution which have come before the Board have been carefully enquired into by them, and at all times relieved, and that they cannot lay any blame of neglect on their officers. And they may further state that the case of the poor woman referred to as having taken shelter under the wall of the church-yard, occurred some fifteen years ago. The woman was and is partly demented. She at various times applied for out-door relief, and on all occasions has been offered relief in the house, which she has persistently declined, except for short periods. Agreed to.
Clare Freeman, Sat 16 Mar 1878:
Some labourers to the number of 20, employed by Mr D Shank, contractor, for erecting the New Presbytery in connexion with Ennis Roman Catholic Parish Church, struck out on Thursday for an advance of wages from 10s to 12s per week. These strikes are the ruin of trade, alike ruinous to the men themselves and vexatious, and disappointing to contractors. For some time the labouring class of the town have been suffering from absolute want, and now that work has opened for them, they ought to be glad to embrace it. We are sure the Relief Committee will see the necessity of keeping these men off the list.
Sheila

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