In the summer of 1831, famine returned to County Mayo, and the starving took to the roads in search of food. Travellers on the roads witnessed and recorded many desperate people in the fields feeding on mustard, cress, and other herbage. Convoys of horses and carts carrying food also plied the roads, and it was not long before the starving turned their attention to them. The carts had meal and flour imported through Westport, destined for markets, big houses, and famine relief depots. The authorities responded by assigning armed escorts, but hunger had disarmed people of their fear of armed soldiers and constables.
The 34th (Cumberland ) Regiment of Foot, under the command of Lieutenant William Colt, accompanied twenty-four carts of meal en route from Westport to Castlebar. At Sheean, they were confronted by up to 1,500 starving tenants of the Palmer estate. Eight cartloads were plundered. The military shot and killed Bridget Egan, Mary Gannon, Michael Walsh, and an unnamed man and wounded many others. An inquest found magistrates Theobald Bourke, George Clendenning, the police, and the military blameless.
On 15 July, a convoy under the protection of the 34th Regiment and police constable John Churchill was travelling from Westport to Ballintubber. Near Ballintubber, 2,000 starving people or, in the words of Lieutenant Colt, 'ugly wretches' met them on the road and demanded the meal from the carts. Bayonets were drawn. A man named Mitchell climbed onto a cart and was shot dead. The people retreated with three sacks. The coroner's inquest found Churchill was responsible for the killing. He was tried for murder but acquitted. Colt came to his aid and told the court the military had fired under his order and that he did not know who had shot Mitchell. The coroner was censured for believing the accounts of the starving people and impugning the police and military.
January 1847 was one of the darkest months of the Great Famine in County Mayo. Just after New Year, a flour transport was robbed at the triangles between Ballintubber and Westport. The Carman told the people one of the barrels belonged to George Henry Moore. As Moore was considered a charitable landlord, the barrel was returned. On Friday, 8 January, a Carman named Colgan from Castlebar was transporting American flour from Westport to Castlebar when a group attacked the cart. Containers were broken open, and the contents were divided. No one was injured.
The following day, McDonnell of Westport and Dudgeon of Castlebar were transporting flour from Westport to Castlebar when they were attacked at Sheane by a large party. The Carman was beaten and the flour taken. That evening, a Carman was robbed of bags of flour on the Ballina road, three miles from Castlebar. Late that night, country people travelling the road between Castlebar and Ballyhean were robbed of small bags of meal, loaves of bread and other food items. On the Westport to Ballintubber Road, a Carman was stopped while transporting a large quantity of flour. He offered the people £3 if they would leave the flour as it was not his property. They refused the money, telling him they could not eat it. They then commenced eating the raw flour.
The following Monday, M. MacDonnell despatched several carts full of flour from Westport to Castlebar under a police escort. When they reached the summit of Sheean, they found the road blocked by an immense crowd. Bloodshed seemed inevitable, so they turned the convoy around and returned to Westport.
There were calls for police to be stationed at Doon to patrol the road out of Westport and to meet convoys at Sheean and give them safe passage. It was suggested a police station be established between the Half-Way House at Islandeady and Pheasant Hill to patrol the area between Doon and Ballymagragh. Police from Castlebar could then meet convoys and escort them into Castlebar. For good measure, it was suggested a party of dragoons be added for additional support.
In mid-January 1847, the price of flour in the market in Westport was driven to record levels by demand and quickly diminishing supplies. (Image: 34th (Cumberland ) Regiment of Foot colours, Wikipedia ).
