John Ynyr Burges and the Great Famine
Among the key figures in the administration of the Dungannon Workhouse and the poor law union at the time of the Famine, and for many years after, was John Ynyr Burges who recalled the impact of the famine on his own estate at Parkanaur, near Dungannon:
Autumn 1846: everyone’s attention was directed to the feeding of the people… there was a meeting in Dungannon to put it into effect some more violently opposed to it as throwing too much of a burden on the landlord shoulders others thought that they could not take too much of the government’s money. I believe in many cases it was misapplied. Roads were made that led to no place and were never completed. Labourers were paid who never worked and work was done that was not wanted. However, the people were employed and did not starve during the winter. I never saw their minds more exasperated against the gentleman as if the landlords had brought this famine upon them who all the time were doing their utmost to help them. In the meantime my wife Lady Caroline Burges gave much attention to the subject and she brought forward a paper on the foundation of agricultural schools throughout county Tyrone in order that the tenant farmers might improve their mode of labouring the land and so make up the deficiencies of the potato failure by sowing wheat and barley and encouraging the cultivation of turnips and other green crops.
This was the greatest famine that had ever occurred in Ireland, a country so often afflicted with the same but never of such extent and suffering is now such a calamity…I set to work actively in order that I might save the lives of my fellow creatures using every means in my power which was the pilot of my grief and misfortune. My lady initiated a kitchen with every apparatus and convenience for feeding the labourers, all of whom were fed daily they got the best beef potatoes and pudding which sustained them while many were starving. They alle paid a portion to prevent them from thinking they got it for nothing or ate the bread of idleness. This was the whole spring and summer of 1847 until relief came by the ripening of the crop.
Great support came from England every week brought forth fresh supplies of money from the various societies that had been formed in London and elsewhere for the heart-rending occasion. The poor house in Dungannon was full, besides a house taken to lodge and feed those who were not admitted there. I was a poor law guardian and I attended as chairman of the board and during the whole of that dreadful time of disease and suffering. I am thankful to think my health never once gave way or prevented my withdrawal even one single day from my duties.
Later he wrote:
it was really harassing to the feelings to see many that you had once known health and strength perishing before your eyes without the means of saving them some children that we had remembered well in youth and beauty wasting away several living on weeds and nettles and anything could they could get just to keep life within them. Lady Caroline appointed soup supplies in many directions and all that we could devise was done for our people. Besides attending the poor house we had a provisional committee at Castlecaufield that I never missed going. With all this I could not keep my people and no less than 300 went off to America having disposed of their land to try their fortune in a strange country amongst that number were the trainers who had lived here in different capacities and I hear that they have all turned out well and succeeded admirably in their speculation.
w union at the time of the Famine, and for many years after, was John Ynyr Burges who recalled the impact of the famine on his own estate at Parkanaur, near Dungannon:
Autumn 1846: everyone’s attention was directed to the feeding of the people… there was a meeting in Dungannon to put it into effect some more violently opposed to it as throwing too much of a burden on the landlord shoulders others thought that they could not take too much of the government’s money. I believe in many cases it was misapplied. Roads were made that led to no place and were never completed. Labourers were paid who never worked and work was done that was not wanted. However, the people were employed and did not starve during the winter. I never saw their minds more exasperated against the gentleman as if the landlords had brought this famine upon them who all the time were doing their utmost to help them. In the meantime my wife Lady Caroline Burges gave much attention to the subject and she brought forward a paper on the foundation of agricultural schools throughout county Tyrone in order that the tenant farmers might improve their mode of labouring the land and so make up the deficiencies of the potato failure by sowing wheat and barley and encouraging the cultivation of turnips and other green crops.
