THE CONGESTED DISTRICTS BOARD FOR IRELAND. 



259 



The Struggle for 



Existence 



in the West. 



The great majority of the inhabitants were in pc-ssession of small plots — 

 they could hardly be called farms — generally about 

 two to four statute acres in extent. The rents for 

 these holdings varied from a few shillings to several 

 pounds a year; in most cases rights of turbary (i.e., 

 rights of cutting turf for fuel) and rough commonage 

 grazing rights were appurtenant to the holdings, and frequently the tenants 

 possessed the right of cutting and gathering seaweed for manure or kelp 

 burning. The plots were usually planted with potatoes and oats, and the 

 methods of cultivation were extremely primitive ; there was no rotation of 

 crops, no adequate supply of manure, and no proper system of drainage, 

 whilst the breeds of live stock were worn out and of little value. The result 

 was that the inhabitants were forced to depend very largely upon certain 

 secondary sources of income of an uncertain and varying nature. Many 

 " congests," as they are locally known, received occasional gifts from rela- 

 tives in America, whilst weaving, knitting, and sewing formed other small 

 subsidiary sources of income. The results of sea-fishing helped the families 

 dwelling along the coast to eke out a scanty living, whilst those living 

 inland depended largely upon the wages earned during some months of the 

 year as migratory agricultural labourers in England or Scotland. Thus in 



Gweebara Bridge, Co. Donegal. 

 Built by the Congested Districts Board. 



most cases the people did not really live on the produce of their holdings, 

 but rather on some secondary source of income, such as field labour in 

 England or Scotland ; they paid a rent for their holding, generally not 

 because of its agricultural value, but rather becau^se it was necessary to have 

 some home for their family. In a " good year " many of the inhabitants 

 were little more than free from the dread of hunger, whilst a bad year, 



