Above : Picture Of Poverty At The Time

It has already been mentioned that during the earlier part of the nineteenth century a large proportion of the Irish people lived habitually on the verge of destitution. The food of about one-third of the population was almost exclusively potatoes, with which the better-off drank milk.

Above : Illustrating Picture Of The Great Famine

In the payment of crowds of officials a great part of the availabe funds were frittered away. Persons not in need of relief obtained employment by means of ” influence,” while the destitute and deservin were often refused.