The Economic History of Ireland from the Union to the Famine.

Abstract

When the skin ol the land was burnt, but no manure applied, the contract was called ''bumbate" ibid. p. 513. 2 Ibid. p. 520. 3 Ibid. p. 521 FKOM THE UNION TO THE FAMINE 13 system was that the hirer was exposed to the full risk of the year's being bad. He bargained a certainty for a possibility. "The conacre labourer is an indigent speculator who under¬ * Appendix A. p. 206. 6 Nicholls Second Report par. 56. 6 Devon Commn. p. 518. * Banies. A Statistical Account of Ireland founded upon Historical Facts. Dublin 1821. ' Burroughs, View of the State of Agriculture in Ireland. Dublin 1821. 2 18 THE ECONOMIC HISTORY OF IRELAND children. 1 Daniel O'Connell stated in 1825 that in the poorer and more remote counties the average rate was not more than sixpence a day, and that the cottiers were willing to work for twopence rather than be unemployed. 2 Two years later it was computed that the average wage near Dublin and the large towns was about sixteenpence a day, but that the great majority of the cottiers throughout the country were willing to accept eightpence a day in summer and fivepence a day in winter 3 . The Select Committee of 1830 estimated it at tenpence. 4 The result of the evidence given on the subject before the Devon Commission is summarized in the following table : 5 -AVERAGE DAILY WAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS District Winter Summer s. d. s. d.

An annual index of Irish industrial production, 1800–1913

“…The mainstream nationalist view, associated not just with politicians like Griffith, but also with traditional historians like O'Brien, was that the Act of Union was devastating for Irish economic development because it exposed Irish industry to the full force of British competition, making it impossible for the country to adopt trade or industrial policies that were suited to its particular stage of development. Overall growth was disappointing, and this was driven above all by a poor industrial performance.…”