545 children were buried within the grounds of the Kilkenny Union Workhouse between 1847 and 1851, two thirds of whom were under age six when they died. Studies on the teeth revealed that scurvy was rampant among the children
Skeletal studies found that all of the infants between six and twelve months – and three quarters of the children between one and twelve years of age – had been affected by stunted growth.
Read more at 500 child skeletons found in workhouse mass grave tell of struggles during the Great Hunger
Image credit: wikimedia commons Irish Famine
2 comments:
Lorine, it is findings like this that give reality to the cerebral concept of the Great Famine. It's horrifying to think that things like this happened--and that these were some of the burdens our ancestors endured. It's so incomprehensible that I think our minds tend to gloss over such realities.
I appreciate your sharing this sobering link.
What a very sad time in history. Thanks for sharing.
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