Description
It has long been known that the anonymous or threatening letter played a significant role in pre-Famine Ireland. Some such texts have previously been available to the general reader, spread through a variety of works on the period (including State of the Country series, local newspapers, Parliamentary Papers and old manuscript sources). Dating from the 1801-45 period, including an extensive introduction which sets out in some detail the concepts involved, the book is a treasure trove of historical material, particularly for those interested in how people reacted to the collapse of grain prices in 1821, the 1822 ‘Rockite disturbances’ and the Great Famine which began in 1845. The material has been taken in the main from the huge bulk of correspondence and reports which found its way to Dublin Castle from all over the Irish countryside, but is also supplemented by newspaper reports and the evidence produced before various parliamentary enquiries.
