Kilcullen in 'distressed' times

Kilcullen in 1820, illustration by George Petrie from 'Excursions Through Ireland', by Thomas Kitson Cromwell.

Things are difficult for everyone at the moment, but it's perhaps no harm to remind ourselves that they also have been before, writes Brian Byrne.

Thackeray.

This extract from William Makepeace Thackeray's The Irish Sketch Book describes his visit to Kilcullen in the early 1840s. The writer was very much hostile to Irish Catholics, which probably explains the somewhat sardonic references to starving people looking healthy.

Thank you to Oliver Fallen Bailey for reminding me of this piece and forwarding the extract to me. With colleague Martin Blake, Oliver has produced a series of videos about the River Liffey, including one about Kilcullen.

“The little town, as they call it, of Kilcullen, tumbles down a hill and struggles up another; the two being here picturesquely divided by the Liffey, over which goes an antique bridge. It boasts, moreover, of a portion of an abbey wall, and a piece of round tower, both on the hill summit, and to be seen for many miles round. Here we saw the first public evidences of the distress of the country. There was no trade in the little place, and but few people to be seen, except a crowd round a meal-shop, where meal is distributed once a week by the neighbouring gentry. There must have been some hundreds of persons waiting about the doors; women for the most part: some of their children were to be found loitering about the bridge much farther up the street; but it was curious to note, amongst these undeniably starving people, how healthy their looks were. Going a little farther, we saw women pulling weeds and nettles in the hedges, on which dismal sustenance the poor creatures live, having no bread, no potatoes, no work. Well! these women did not look thinner or more unhealthy than many a well-fed person. A company of English lawyers, now, look more cadaverous than these starving creatures."

EDITOR NOTE: If you're out shopping or walking, do PLEASE observe physical distancing. If we're sensible, it will help a lot. 

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