Donovan, the
principal local physician, whose duties placed him in the midst of the
sufferers. There can be no doubt that even at this comparatively early
period of the famine, parts of Connaught, especially Mayo, suffered as
much as Skibbereen, but the results were commonly told in briefer terms
than in parts of the South. "More deaths from starvation in Mayo;"
"Dreadful destitution in Mayo;" "Coroners' inquests in Mayo." Such are
the headings of brief but suggestive paragraphs, during the latter part
of November, and all through December. Many of the Mayo inquests may
have been the occasion of more dreadful revelations than even those of
Skibbereen, but they did not receive the same extensive and detailed
publicity. Here are two or three starvation cases from that county.
Patrick M'Loughlin, in the parish of Islandeady, was ordered by the
Relief Committee a labour-ticket, in consequence of earnest
representations as to his starving condition. He did not get the ticket
for five days, he, his wife and five children not having a morsel of
food in the interval. Having at length obtained the ticket, he produced
it, and went to labour on the Public Works. He got no pay for the first
three days, and in the meantime his wife died from actual starvation.
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