CH. III.] WIDOWS WITH YOUNG FAMILIES. 149 



CHAPTER III. 



WIDOWS WITH FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN. 



Province of Connaught, county of Galway ; examinations taken by F. Dig- 

 gens, Esq., and W. T. M'Cullagh, Esq. ; parish of Kilcummin, 

 barony of Moycullen. Twenty witnesses. 



IN order to form an accurate estimate of the proportion of 

 those amongst this class of the community who are able 

 to support themselves, or are either in part or altogether 

 dependent on their relations and neighbours, the following 

 inquiry was made into the circumstances and condition of 

 all the widows living in a limited district. 



The village of Outerard was chosen, without any refer- 

 ence to its comparative poverty or comfort ; nor was it until 

 the several instances narrated had been gone through, that 

 the witnesses expressed their opinion, that if in anything 

 this was not a fair specimen of the condition of the entire 

 parish, the difference consisted in there being some trifling 

 advantages belonging to the poor of Outerard above those 

 of the average of villages in the neighbourhood. 



By this enumeration it appears, that in a village con- 

 taining one hundred and fourteen families there are twenty- 

 two widows ; of these, six are entirely dependent on their 

 relations for support, and two partly so maintained ; eight 

 live upon the bounty of their neighbours, and one is as- 

 sisted by their charity to support herself: five maintain 

 themselves altogether by their own industry. There are 

 seven who have families of young children ; of the whole 



