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338 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
It should be noted that the majority of the clergy, of all denominations, worked tirelessly to help the plight of the sufferers as did several landlords, several of whom, it is documented, lived on ‘Indian meal’ in order to spare more for the starving, some of whom were eating grass and turf. The aforementioned ‘Indian meal’ was in fact maize meal purchased cheaply from America by the British Government when the famine was far advanced. The gruel made from the often poorly milled meal was later known as ‘Peel’s Brimstone’ after the Tory leader, Sir Robert Peel.
The British Government gave practically no assistance until it was almost too late and a human catasprophe of massive proportions was upon them.When stories detailing the distress began pouring from Ireland charitable relief funds were set up and well supported in both Britain and America, and even the Sultan of Turkey, who, moved to compassion by Ireland’s plight, contributed generously to the famine fund. Voluntary help was provided by private groups who set up food distribution points and soup kitchens, most notably by the Quakers, whose contribution has been described as being “out of all proportion to their numbers in Ireland.” Unlike some Protestant charities who demanded religious conversa- tion in return for their soup, the Quakers asked for nothing. As already mentioned, when the famine was far advanced the British Government began to take action of sorts and the
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