DEATH FROM STARVATION
DANIEL O’BRIEN
1788 - 1851
By Kevin J. O’Brien
The following article from The Clare Journal, January 13, 1851 is the account of death, of my great-great grandfather, James O’Brien’s brother, Daniel O’Brien. Over the years I have been searching and advertising for the whereabouts of Daniel O’Brien. This past summer the search ended when I found reference to Daniel O’Brien death in an article: “Where are the People Gone to?” County Clare 1850-1852 by Ciaran O’Murchadha, published in The Other Clare, Vol. 26, 2002.
The last know record for Daniel O’Brien was in the 1826 Tithe Applotment Books of Kilmurry-Ibrickane Parish. Daniel was listed as having 6 acres of land in the townland of Killernan, Co. Clare. He and his brothers, Patrick, James, Michael and father, John all lived on about 50 acres of land. Ireland’s population was growing at a rapid rate and the potato was feeding the masses. Twenty years later and after the Famine, the farms were consolidated to make them more efficient and profitable for the landlord. In 1855, the Griffith’s Valuation of land for Killernan townland only listed the families of Honoria O’Brien and her brother-in-law Michael O’Brien having two distinct farms. The land had been cleared of the unwanted Irish tenant, many through emigration and others by death from starvation as this newspaper article describes.
-----
THE CLARE JOURNAL
ENNIS, MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1851
DEATH FROM STARVATION.
The subjoined communication, which we were obliged to hold over from Thursday, furnishes one of the strongest instances of culpable neglect on the part of a relieving officer, which has perhaps ever been brought under our notice: -
FROM OUR MILTOWN CORRESPONDENT.
Miltown Malbay, 5 January, 1851.
Death from Destitution. __ I send you the following minutes of evidence taken before Francis O’Donnell, Esq. Coroner, at an inquest held by him this day at Ballyvaskin, near this village, on the body of a man named Daniel O’Brien, who was found dead in a field there on Saturday evening last.
Anthony Howard sworn -- Lives at Ballyvaskin; at about 12 o’clock on Saturday found the deceased, Daniel O’Brien, lying dead by the side of a ditch in a dyke at Ballyvaskin; called Thomas Howard, and told him there was a man dead in the field; both of us took him up out of the dyke, and laid him on the field; we then went to Miltown, and Thomas Howard told the police the man was dead; saw a small piece of bread near him. I had seen the deceased on Friday morning. There was water under him where he was found dead.
Eliza Hayes sworn --Lives at Drummin; on Friday night after dark deceased came into her aunt’s house, and sat by the fire to warm himself; he said he was coming from the workhouse of Ennistymon; he got a bit of bread from my aunt; witness does not know if he eat it; he remained about half an hour in the house, when he said he would go to Thomas Howard’s which is about a quarter of a mile across the fields form my aunt’s house.
Thomas Howard sworn – Lives at Ballyvaskin; deceased called at his house on Friday morning on his way to Ennistymon union workhouse; remained about half an hour; deceased got some stirabout; he was evidently weak, and had a bad appearance, which I am sure was from starvation; did not see him afterwards till he was found dead on Saturday; knew the deceased for the last 8 or 9 years; he had some bread near him when he was found; he was always a healthy man; he was on outdoor relief; he had nothing to support him but begging since that relief was stopped; witness heard his principal food was turnip and cabbages.
James Clancy sworn – Is relieving officer for the electoral divisions of Annagh and Ballyvaskin; knew the deceased Daniel O’Brien; he as on outdoor relief as long as it has continued, which was till about 1st. August last his age on the books is 63 years; deceased applied on 31st. December last for relief, or for a ticket of admission to the workhouse; took down his name on that day, and told him to come before the Board on Friday, at Ennistymon workhouse; thinks he saw the deceased among the crowd at the workhouse on Friday; on the day he applied to me he appeared to be weaker than usual; there were such a large number of applicants (about 1,000) my books could not be ruled, nor my paupers examined on that day; and about three o’clock the Vice-Guardians told me to send home the paupers till Monday next, the 6th. Inst.; deceased was from Killernan in the electoral division of Annagh, about 10 Irish miles from Ennistymon workhouse; on my way home from the workhouse on Friday evening I passed the deceased on the road at Rinneen, about, five miles from the workhouse; he appeared to be weak; I sent my boy to speak to him: I heard him say he had bread enough for his supper; my opinion is that deceased died from starvation. I was in the habit of giving provisional relief, where I thought it necessary; on one or two occasions I was censured by a Guardian for giving provisional relief, where I thought it necessary; on one or two occasions I was censured by a Guardian for giving relief in such cases, and the attention of the Inspector called to it. This witness further said – The Vice-Guardians ordered me on Friday to relieve any bad cases I had until I would bring them up on Monday, I was at the workhouse of Ennistymon on Monday, was there at ten o’clock in the morning, but the Guardians were not there at this time.
The verdict was as follows. – We find that Daniel O’Brien aged 63 years, came by his death on Friday night, at Ballyvaskin, from STARVATION, THROUGH THE NEGLECT OF THE GUARDIANS.
