The potato blight in Tiree.

Original Track ID

SA1970.95.A9; A10

Original Tape ID

SA1970.095

Summary

The potato blight in Tiree.

The contributor had often heard about the failure of the potato crop in Tiree. This had happened in 1847 and carried on for several seasons. His mother could remember the blight. She had been living at Heylipol then, as her father was a groom to the factor, and she could remember a large field of potatoes which was growing well one evening. By the following evening the whole field was ruined.

At this time there was no coal being brought to Tiree, and they used to have to go over to Mull in open boats to cut peats. Some people were lost at sea.

Many people left for America at the time of the potato failure. Meal was brought from the mainland by the factor, am Bàillidh Mòr, and distributed among the poor in return for a day's work, or money. The Bàillidh Mòr was from Ardmore in Islay. The contributor's mother thought very highly of him. He was a tall lanky man, and had several girlfriends on the island but was not married.

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good