Ireland pictures : Gallery 4 : Deserted village, Slievemore, Achill Island
The deserted village at Slievemore, Achill Island, was abandoned as a permanent settlement some time in the late 1800s. Undoubtedly the Great Famine (1845-49) would have been a significant factor, but in addition the land was sold by Sir Richard O'Donnell to the Achill Mission, a movement led by the Reverend Edward Nangle and based in Dugort with the aim of colonising Achill Island for the Protestant faith. Some historians suggest that the village at Slievemore became deserted as a result of evictions for non-payment of rent to the Achill Mission following its purchase of the lands in 1851-52. The picture below shows a wall storage feature in one of the dwellings, with Slievemore mountain in the background. [more...] |
