134 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK II. 



CHAPTER II. 



OF ORPHANS, FOUNDLINGS, AND BASTARDS. 



Extracts from the Depositions. 



Province of Connaught, county of Galway. Examinations taken by Francis 

 Diggens, Esq., and W. T. M'Cullagh, Esq. ; parish of Headford, 

 barony of Clare. Sixteen witnesses. 



IT is impossible for the working classes to lay by a half- 

 penny, and they seldom try to do so. They are therefore 

 not able to leave anything to their children in case these 

 become orphans. 



Orphans are chiefly supported by small collections made 

 at chapel and from house to house. 



In this parish two orphan children were supported by a 

 poor man, who was an insolvent himself. He was in gaol 

 for the last two months, and the neighbours made a trifling 

 collection for the children among themselves. 



There are fewer desertions than formerly, the principal 

 cause of which is, that there is now no assessment made 

 by the vestry for the support of the children. 



When the Foundling Hospital was open, it was much 

 less expensive to send the children up to Dublin, than to pay 

 for nursing them in the parish ; and the closing of the 

 Foundling Hospital is in this respect a great loss. 



Nevertheless, according to other witnesses, many found- 

 lings have been kept in the country rather than send them 

 to the Foundling Hospital; and the people congratulate 

 themselves on the closing of this establishment, because all 



