Famine Proprietors and Occupiers ManifestTo the Commissioners of Public Works Memorial of the Proprietors & Occupiers of Land in Kilmore Locality in the County of Wexford. Herewith That we view with regret the great advantages lost to the people of this neighbourhood & thy community in general for want of funds to construct a fishing pier at Kilmore Quay, which is capable of supplying abundance of fish to this and the adjoining counties, besides contributing materially, even to the supply of Dublin mullet and affording extensive permanent employment. The Nymph Bank which lies along the coast of Kilmore is stated by Lieut. H F Sewel, rev and coastguard officer stationed there to almost rival the Bank of Newfoundland for its supply of ling, cod, haddock and at the coast also abounds with herring, mackerel, bream, gurnet, pound fish, lobster, crab &c. Captain Washington, Tidal Commissioner reported most favourably of this place as a fishing station for keeping boats a few days afloat in sea winds(?) to assist vessels driven inside the Saltee Islands, by these or weather. A pier at Kilmore would also be of great advantage in admitting by small vessels, an import of coal, cilm(?) and slates, for a large district of country, in which coal is the only fuel and limestone extensively burned, so great and general is the feeling in the country, of the necessity to attain these objects that a presentment of £500,,0,,0 was lately passed at the neighbouring baronial presenting sessions for the purpose. That these are at present 24 first class and 33 second class boats belonging to this fishing station, whose employment is quite precarious, owing to the insufficient depth of water to get in and out of the old pier; and it sometimes occurs that no matter what inducement as to quantity of fish outside, it cannot be taken advantage of neither can boats in danger outside get into refuge for want of a proper pier and the present one has been much impaired by a large wrecked vessel to which it had been moored during a heavy storm, which carried away a portion of the wall and the deposit of which, will impede the ingress & egress of the fishing boats and ultimately fill the harbour altogether and deprive the families and numerous dependents of these poor fishermen of their only means of sustenance. Under these circumstances, memorialists pray that the Commissioners
of Public Works may direct an examination of Kilmore pier and fishing
station and grant a portion of the sum allowed under the 10 & 11
???, chap ’75 for the improvement of same.
|