Family Origins
Having recently celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, I have been thinking of my family origins. The Cribbens come from County Mayo, Ireland. Mayo is in the far west of Ireland and is known for having suffered greatly during the famines of 1740-41, 1845-49, and 1879. Immigration based on economic need is something to which I feel close.
While the potato was by far the most prevalent food crop in all of Ireland, in Mayo it was even more so. When heavy rains, cold, or blight ruined crops for not just one year, but several, the people suffered profound hunger. During these periods many people died and others had no choice but to leave their homeland and migrate to the United States, Canada, Great Britain, etc.
There are horrific stories of what the local people suffered in those years. One story is now referred to as “The Doolough Famine Walk of 1849.” People who needed relief were summoned to the town of Louisburgh. Having arrived they were told that the inspectors had gone to another town called Delphi. The distance to Delphi was about 12 miles and passed a small lake, Doolough. People already weakened by hunger began the journey and died. Others arrived in Delphi and found no relief and had to make the journey back to Louisburgh. Today there are small monuments that mark this deadly journey. In my only visit to Ireland in 2010, I drove the road from Louisburgh to Delphi and saw the monuments. Mayo has another famine monument near Croagh Patrick. It is an eerie sculpture of a “ghost ship.” Ships had such names because many hunger-refugees died as they fled the famine but never arrived at their destinations.
County Mayo played an important role in 19th century land reform. Michael Davitt was among the key leaders who sought fairness in landlord and tenant agreements. He wanted to help tenant farmers to buy land from landlords at fair prices. Mahatma Gandhi is said to have found inspiration for his non-violent resistance movement in the activities of Davitt. I have visited his grave and a small museum near Straide Abbey. The modern day protest action called “boycott” also comes from Mayo during this period of reform. Captain Charles Boycott, an English land agent, inspired this action as he attempted to evict tenant families from their homes. Knowing of this injustice, other workers refused to harvest crops for him and thus developed the term “boycotting.”
I am very proud of my justice seeking, County Mayo ancestors.
Peace Fr. Andy