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Why were they poor and landless? Perhaps they didn’t start out that way. Both Protestants and Catholics were subject to the unforgiving economy and the penal laws of Ireland during the 17th – 19th centuries. The most predominant classes in the agricultural sector were the labourers, cottiers, and landlords. | Why were they poor and landless? Perhaps they didn’t start out that way. Both Protestants and Catholics were subject to the unforgiving economy and the penal laws of Ireland during the 17th – 19th centuries. The most predominant classes in the agricultural sector were the labourers, cottiers, and landlords. | ||
{{Block indent|“The main difficulty is in defining people as either landholders, or landless. Many people who spent most of their time labouring for others still described themselves as farmers, if they had access to even a small patch of land…Many labourers negotiated ways in which to secure a small area of land, at least for one growing season, not so much for status, as to attempt to secure food for their families.”<ref>Jonathan Bell and Mervyn Watson, A History of Irish Farming 1750-1950 (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2008), 21.</ref>}} | |||
The cottiers were a major labor force in the years leading to the potato famine. Much of the monetary system in that time period was bartered, no money actually changing hands. | The cottiers were a major labor force in the years leading to the potato famine. Much of the monetary system in that time period was bartered, no money actually changing hands. | ||
{{Block indent|“Arthur Young summarized how the system operated in the 1770s. He believed that the cottier system of labour in Ireland, was probably the same all over Europe before arts and commerce changed the face of it. If there are cabins on a farm they are the residence of the cottars, if there are none, the farmer marks out the potatoe garden, and the labourers…raise their own cabins…A verbal contract is then made, that the cottar shall have his potatoe garden at such a rate, and one or two cows kept [for] him at the price of the neighbourhood, he finding the cows. He then works for the farmer at the rate of the place…a tally being kept…and a notch cut for every day’s labour; at the end of six months, or a year, they recon, and the balance is paid. The cottar works for himself as the potatoes require.”<ref>Bell and Watson, A History of Irish Farming, 23.</ref>}} | |||
Accommodations of this type rarely created records sufficient to trace generations of ancestors. The cottiers would often put up with egregious stipulations to maintain a place to live. In many instances, their arrangement was known as a “dry-cot” consisting only of a house and potato ground. If they were extremely lucky, they were allotted a “wet-cot” which in addition to the house and potato ground also gave them grassland to graze a cow for milk. | Accommodations of this type rarely created records sufficient to trace generations of ancestors. The cottiers would often put up with egregious stipulations to maintain a place to live. In many instances, their arrangement was known as a “dry-cot” consisting only of a house and potato ground. If they were extremely lucky, they were allotted a “wet-cot” which in addition to the house and potato ground also gave them grassland to graze a cow for milk. | ||
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A typical entry reads: | A typical entry reads: | ||
{{Block indent|Co. Cork, Coolenave }} | |||
{{Block indent|John Neill, 28 Decr 1846, resided there in 1846 as Cottier, died in the year 1847. :Reference: Schedule 21, No. 11C, 128.}} | |||
The digitized records on the website Moving Here are for the counties of Cork, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Tipperary. The collection in The National Archives, London is contained in series T/91. | The digitized records on the website Moving Here are for the counties of Cork, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Tipperary. The collection in The National Archives, London is contained in series T/91. | ||
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The records often give genealogical details about the person on whom the crime or offense was committed and on the person who was thought to have committed the crime. The following entry illustrates the type of content: | The records often give genealogical details about the person on whom the crime or offense was committed and on the person who was thought to have committed the crime. The following entry illustrates the type of content: | ||
{{Block indent|County of Carlow }} | |||
{{Block indent|“On the night of 23rd Inst. [October 1836] a Party of armed men went to the House of James Curren, and searched it; stating that they wanted a Female. They also searched several other Houses. A girl of the name of Eagan eloped with a servant Boy from her Father’s House, and her Brothers were in search of her.” Reference HO 100/248.}} | |||
There are two sets, located in the National Archives of Ireland, Dublin and The National Archives, London. For additional information, see Tom Quinlan, “The Registered Papers of the Chief Secretary's Office”, Irish Archives, Autumn 1994: 5-21. | There are two sets, located in the National Archives of Ireland, Dublin and The National Archives, London. For additional information, see Tom Quinlan, “The Registered Papers of the Chief Secretary's Office”, Irish Archives, Autumn 1994: 5-21. | ||
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A typical entry in the Irish poor law admission record books reads: | A typical entry in the Irish poor law admission record books reads: | ||
{{Block indent|Lurgan Union, County Armagh }} | |||
{{Block indent|No. 4405; Eliza Jane, F[emale], [age] 6, child of 4404 [Ellen Magill], not employed, R.C. [Roman Catholic], healthy, [father Edwd. Magill deserted family], admitted 19 November 1844, discharged 7 December 1846.}} | |||
These records are one of the few exceptions when it comes to record repositories. In the Republic of Ireland, the originals are often deposited in the County Libraries with some to be found in the National Archives, Dublin. In Northern Ireland, they are principally deposited in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast. | These records are one of the few exceptions when it comes to record repositories. In the Republic of Ireland, the originals are often deposited in the County Libraries with some to be found in the National Archives, Dublin. In Northern Ireland, they are principally deposited in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast. | ||
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