Doo Lough Tragedy Victims Will Never Walk Alone
Tuesday 30th March is a date which is likely not in your diary for anything special. But it probably should be. Particularly if you are a Tim who identifies with an Irish heritage, whether Catholic or Protestant or none. The type of Irish heritage often celebrated and commemorated by both a large section of fans of our club and even some of the PLC brigade. Namely, I'm talking about the Irish heritage which relates to the Great Hunger (An Gorta Mor) and, in particular, one of its blackest days in 1849 - the Doo Lough tragedy.
Walking for Want - Dying to Live
Social commentator and respected political blogger Daniel Margrain sums up the tragedy of Doo Lough well. He captures the darkness, the senselessness and the sheer inhumanity of it all when he writes,
"They (starving Irish) were met at the shelter by the local poor law guardians whose role was to 'inspect' them as certification of their 'official pauper' status. This would supposedly entitle them to a ration of food to be eaten the following morning at a fishing establishment called Delphi Lodge...ten miles away. Many didn't arrive at their destination having died of exposure to the harsh elements or through starvation. The few that did make it were refused the relief...and they died on their homeward journey with the bodies remaining where they fell"