Mayo history: Egg exports were main earner in Achill in 1892

PART ONE

By Tom Gillespie

IN 1892 the newly-formed Congested Districts Board dispatched a number of inspectors to report on the local conditions in areas along Ireland's Atlantic seaboard. Major Robert Ruttledge-Fair prepared a report on the district of Achill.

The report covered the district's four Electoral Divisions of Achill (1,417 population), Corraun (1,602), Dooega (1,698) and Slievemore (510).

The biggest earner for the locals, he found, was the sale of eggs, of which thousands were exported every few weeks.

Spade cultivation, he said, is carried on in this district. The manures in use are dung or seaweed spread on ridges over which seed potatoes are laid about a foot apart.

After this sowing, seaweed (or sods impregnated with smoke and soot, generally taken from the roofs of the houses and cut into small pieces with spades), is used as a sort of top-dressing, the potatoes being afterwards moulded.

In fine weather the land is also burned. In some of the villages there is a scarcity of seaweed, especially on the south side of the Achill Island. Shell-fish scraped from the rocks are also used as manure.

The rotation of crops is as follows: rye or oats - where the latter will grow, then potatoes, and potatoes follow rye, until the soil is worn out. The land is then allowed to lie idle for a few years when the same rotation of crops is again commenced. Grass seeds are rarely sown.

Cattle and sheep are of the most inferior description that can be imagined. Ponies are rough but hardy and capable of great endurance. Pigs are very bad and not much bred by the people. I am told those bred on Achill Island nearly always die. Pigs are generally brought from Newport and sold at Achill Sound Fair. These thrive fairly well.

Poultry are small, especially ducks and geese. The hens are splendid layers, the people deriving more profit from the sale of eggs than from any other industry, except migratory labour. Many tenants told me that they would rather lose their cattle than part with their hens.

Kyloe and Galloway bulls and black-faced rams might be tried, but ‘soft’ breeds of all kinds of stock should be carefully avoided, as the land is altogether too poor to rear a really good class of animal.

A few cockerels of a hardy breed might also be sent to this district, Andalusians for choice, as I hear they throve well formerly. West Mayo seems to have been altogether omitted from the recent distribution of cockerels.

Monthly fairs are held at Achill Sound and Mulranny. Some people also go to Westport and Newport fairs. Food and other supplies are obtained from local dealers, except clothes, which are generally bought in England and Scotland by the migratory labourers. Any clothes purchased in the district are bought at Westport.

No butter or poultry is exported - very little is sold for local consumption. Eggs are exported in thousands by the local dealers who purchase them from the people. They are generally kept a fortnight and are then sent by boat to Westport. Sometimes they have to be retained three weeks owing to bad weather. They are always nearly three weeks old before reaching their final destination in Great Britain.

Westport is at present the nearest railway station for this district, being 28 miles from Achill Sound, but a line to Achill is now in course of construction. No steamers call to any part of the district. Sailing boats trade with Westport and convey all goods purchased there to Achill Sound. There is very little cart traffic from Westport. The postal arrangements are good, letters are delivered daily, except on Sundays, at three post offices in the district. A telegraph office was opened last year at Achill Sound.

The migratory labourers probably number 1,318 persons in this district. They leave between March 20 and June 20, returning from September 20 up to Christmas. All females and a few men go to Scotland, working in Lanark, Ayr, and Mid Lothian.

The great majority of the male labourers proceed to Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. The average earnings for men are from £9 to £10 cash, and £1 10s. value of clothes purchased. The average earnings for women are from £5 to £7 cash, and £1 10s. value of clothes purchased.

There are very few weavers in the district. This industry being almost entirely confined to making a little flannel for men's shirts, etc. The women spin and knit for their own families. Nothing is ever sold. I understand the girls bring home from Scotland large quantities of thread for knitting socks and small shawls.

There is no turf sold. The bogs are practically inexhaustible, and the turf is of excellent quality.

The dietary of the people consists of three meals daily each person. The custom of taking four meals in some instances (especially during spring work) is now creeping in.

Breakfast - tea and flour bread. Very poor people, potatoes and tea. Dinner - potatoes and fish or eggs, in many cases tea also. Supper - potatoes and milk or eggs. In summer Indian meal stirabout is substituted for potatoes, and eggs and milk are also then more used.

There are numbers of lobsters all round the coast of the district, but the people do not fish for them - although Connemara and Inishkea fishermen take them in hundreds almost from the very doors of the people.

Very few of the people can be called fishermen. I doubt much if there are half a dozen bone fide fishermen in the entire district. Up to the present time no facilities for the sale of fresh fish existed and the consumption was confined to local wants and a little salt fish which was taken to Westport and sold. The Westport, Mulranny and Achill railway ought to alter matters in this respect.

The number of boats employed in fishing, or carrying turf or seaweed, and their classification, are as follows - three hookers, 2nd class, 11 hookers, 3rd class, 226 yawls and 35 curraghs.

The clothing of the people in this district is principally bought in England and Scotland. Money is also sent home by the migratory workers to purchase wool for flannel and making stockings.

The houses are nearly all built of stone, though a few sod huts may also be seen. The houses generally contain a kitchen and one room – better class houses having two rooms. The cattle occupy one end of the kitchen, and the family take their meals and some members sleep in the other end. The fowl roost on the rafters. I am told pigs are often kept in the same apartment.