CHAPTER V.

GENERAL SUBJECTS.

SECTION I.

POPULATION.

THIS part of every Statistical Survey must remain very imperfect, until the fears of the people are removed, that some object of taxation is concealed under the anxiety to obtain the amount of it. In a county so decidedly catholic, any return given by the protestant clergy must be very erroneous. To accomplish this very desirable object the catholic clergy must be induced to take an interest in its attainment; but even this would fail, were their flock not well convinced that nothing connected with taxation was intended. I shall, however, give what information I have received, which every person will have an opportunity of correcting or forming an opinion on. In 1762 the population was estimated at 14,000. By the census taken in 1782 the population of the town of Galway was 14,000. By statistical tables in 1788 only 9000. In 1803 it was com

puted to be 20,000. In 1817 upwards of 40,000 in the town alone. In the wardenship, which extends about four miles round Galway, 100,000. In the Cloddagh alone, almost entirely occupied by fishermen and their families, it is computed there are between four and five thousand inhabitants: what an increase since 1695, when the fishermen were only 88! By the return of Mr. Conolly, of the male population between the age of 18 and 45, the parish of St. Nicholas contained 2301. That of Rahoon 1006. So that if we take the general estimate of the twelfth part of the population as able to bear arms, it will amount in those two parishes only to 39,684, and it may be fairly assumed that a census taken for this avowed purpose must be considerably under the truth. In the town and liberties of Galway, 1371 houses pay the hearth and window tax; this, at only six to each house, makes but 8226; if this is correct, what a vast proportion pay neither of those taxes. By the census taken in 1813, it appeared that the population of the entire of the town and county of the town, extending four miles every way round Galway, was only 24,684. I cannot conceive for what purpose the town was put to the expense of making this census, so evidently incorrect. When the census taken by Mr. Conolly of those able to bear arms between 18 and 45 years of age, amounted to nearly 40,000, exclusive of the parish of Oranmore, even this must have been below the amount, though only for the two parishes of St. Nicholas and Rahoon. This census gives not quite five and an half to a house at Bohermore; every person must be sensible how much below the real amount this must be. Of what use were the tables also of Mr. Bushe? they tended only to mislead; in 1788 he returned the population of Galway as only 9470, allowing ten to each house; in 1792 only about 12,000.

The islands of Arran contain a population of upwards of 2400 souls. Mr. Hardiman in his return of the population of Galway, as given by Mr. William Shaw Mason, though he says the persons who pretended to take the census "were deterred by menaces from venturing among the villages," yet he says he gives it "as a curious document, intimately connected with the modern description of the town." I am at a loss for what useful purpose this census could have been given in his publication, except to shew the arrangement by Mr. Mason, which is excellent; the most curious thing is, that the public should be put to such great expense for a thing confessedly erroneous. The persons employed to take this census were the laughing stock of every one acquainted with the country. As to the population of the county of Galway, I have not any data to guide me, and I can venture to say, that any computation Mr. Mason may give must be erroneous, if not corrected by the catholic clergy. Whatever may be the amount of the population, it is certain there has been unfortunately a vast increase, and from the mode generally practised of dividing farms, already too small, into very small holdings, totally inadequate to the maintenance of a family, this evil must rapidly increase. Many treatises have been written on this momentous subject; the majority of them tell us what we but too well know; some are fanciful, some impracticable, and almost every plan that has been devised helps the emigration of those that are best able to stay at home. Some authors advise the improvement of our bogs and mountains as a means of employing our redundant population; but they forget to point out from whence the fund is to come. Did country gentlemen do their duty, there would be little occasion for the interference of government. Their apathy is most unaccountable, and they must, in a great mea

sure, be answerable for the riotous proceedings of the populace that so lately disgraced this county: an employed population is always peaceable. An intelligent correspondent informs me that he has known Galway intimately for upwards of forty years, and it is now twice as large and populous as at that period, but not by any means twice as rich. The import trade has greatly increased, and the export, except in corn, has decreased. Of the populatiou of the other towns I have been left in ignorance by those to whom I applied. Formerly great apprehensions were entertained that population was decreasing, but most unfortunately Mr. Young's prediction, forty years ago, has been fulfilled :-" Let population alone, and it will take care of itself."

But those who were so anxious for an increase of population, did not discriminate between an employed and half employed one. It unfortunately happens that neither the parents or children are actuated by those prudent feelings that govern the generality of the lower classes of the English; there they consider how children are to be provided for, and will avoid any contract until they have some prospect of doing so: in Ireland the same class think of little else but the means of

getting the children. I recollect many years ago being astonished at the assertion of an old and very intelligent clergyman, "The introduction of potatoes into Ireland was the greatest curse she could have received." Every day's experience helps to convince me of the truth of the assertion. I know it is very generally said, "what would become of our dense population without them?" but I would much rather be told what is to become of them with them? Until the practice of reletting and portioning children with small divisions of land is cut up, root and branch, it is vain to expect a change for the better. It will be asked how is this to be effected?

By landlords considering an attention to the welfare of their tenantry an imperative obligation, or by agents recollecting that the receipt of rents is not the only duty they have to perform. Many landlords have clauses in the leases of cottier tenants, to prevent reletting, but none against dividing their scanty farms with their sons or daughters on their marriage. This is the prolific cause of much of the wretchedness of Ireland. Unimproving middle men should be repulsed in every offer they make for land, as they add considerably to the poverty of Ireland, by reletting to the poorest class of tenants. It is imagined that the population of Connamara and larconnaught double every ten years, very much assisted by emigrants. If houses were built by the landlords, Connamara would be soon found to hold out advantages that would prevent emigration to distant

countries.

SECTION II.

NUMBER AND SIZE OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

THE town of Galway contains, within the walls, 21 acres, 1 rood, and 21 perches; but the town outside the walls is of considerable extent, probably as much as the old part, including Dominick-street, the Claddagh, Meyrick's-square, Nun's Island, Bohermore, &c. &c. It was a town of considerable trade so far back as 1280; vessels of 400 tons can come up to the quay. They traded with France, Spain, the West Indies, and North America, very extensively; especially for wine and brandy. Of the former article they imported so much