Boy and Girl at Cahera, James Mahony, 20 February 1847

The scene at skibbereen, west cork, in 1847. From a series of illustrations by cork artist james mahony (1810–1879), commissioned by illustrated london news 1847. “the first sketch is taken on the road, at cahera, of a famished boy and girl turning up the ground to seek for a potato to appease their hunger. ‘not far from the spot where i made this sketch,’ says mr. Mahoney, ‘and less than fifty perches from the high road, is another of the many sepulchres above ground, where six dead bodies had lain for twelve days, without the least chance of interment, owing to their being so far from the town. '”. Date: 20 February 1847. Skibbereen by James Mahony, 1847