News Letter readers suggest that I reply to its publication of Dr. Birnie’s comments on the article that began: “Joe Biden: ‘My ancestors left Ireland because of what the Brits had been doing.’”
Dr. Birnie imputes error to President Biden, he repeats the “famine” story we were all taught in school, and writes “… more should have been done.” A question: More what? Ireland was starved by 67 named British army regiments; ought 77 have been deployed? Davitt, et al. reported it as “Holocaust.” Starting on May 4, 1846 until November 19, 1855 the Cork (now Irish) Examiner newspaper reported it as “Holocaust.” (“Genocide”was coined post-WW2.)
From the start of 1845 to the end of 1850 the British government ordered into Ireland more than half (67 regiments) of its 128-regiment empire army. Their mission was the removal of Ireland’s abundant food crops to the ports for export. Commander-in-Chief of mission from start to finish was General Sir Edward Blakeney on whom, in 1849, Queen Victoria conferred an Order of the Bath. The quantity of forcibly removed edibles is readily ascertainable in that era’s editions of The (London) Times, the Limerick Intelligencer, etc. The volume of non-potato foods produced by the Irish are indicated by the following processors: 1,935 grain mills, 1,984 grain kilns, 555 flour mills, 136 grain-using breweries, 74 grain-using distilleries, 62 threshers (though flails were more common), 948 livestock pounds, 45 woollen mills (mutton and lamb), 43 windmills, butter markets, and “shambles” (butcheries), etc. (Precise location of each available upon request.)
During those years, and until 1900-1920, Ireland was owned by English landlords. The Irish were their tenants-at-will. The army was deployed only where the English-led constabulary and landlords’ militias encountered resistance to the food removal. Though, for example, the 68th of Foot was deployed briefly as far north as Ballycastle, the constabulary and landlords’ militias usually managed to extract the food crops in what is today’s Northern Ireland. During the first quarter of 1847 (numbers are approximate):
Antrim: Its 604-strong (520 pvts.) militia was HQ’d in Belfast. Commander: the Marquis of Donegal residing in London. Adjutant Col. Carrothers.
Armagh: its 640-strong (520 pvts.) was HQ’d in Markethill. Commander: the Marquis Acheson residing in Gosford Castle, Markethill. Adjutant Biford Woodhouse.
Derry: its 755-strong (650 pvts.) County Londonderry militia was HQ’d at Londonderry. Commander: Sir R.A. Ferguson, Bar’t, residing at The Farm, Londonderry. Adjutant __ McClintock.
Down: its 453-strong (390 pvts.) The Royal South Downshire was HQ’d at Hillsborough. Commander: The Marquis of Downshire, residing at Hillsborough. Adjutant __ Hodgson.
Fermanagh: its 453-strong (390 pvts.) Co. Fermanagh militia was HQ’d at Enniskillen. Commander: the Earl of Enniskillen residing at Florence Court Demesne, Florencecourt. Adjutant Wm. Corry.
Tyrone: its 755-strong (650 pvts.) Royal Tyrone militia was HQ’d at Caledon, near the post town of Caledon, Co. Tyrone. Adjutant:William Lundie.
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