The Bridge - 1861 - Erasmus+
23
From our Correspondent at Cork.
The constant appearance of the heading ‘Emigration from Ireland,’ and the no less constant stream of well-clad, healthy, and comfortable-looking peasantry in our streets, induces me to send you the accompanying sketches and communications on that subject.
Upon reference to notes and papers of my own, and to information afforded me be the emigration agents here, I am disposed to think that about the middle of May the great emigrational torrent ceases to flow from these shores. Looking backward for the last month, I find that, during the week ending April 11, the greatest rush for the season took place. The numbers who left Cork that week could not have fallen far short of 15000 souls, and this with the emigration of the other ports of Limerick, Waterford, Dublin, and even of Belfast, will give us an approach to 50000 weekly leaving the country. Large as this number may appear, it is well known that it is considerably below the mark when the departures for Liverpool are included. One agent informed me that he himself had booked 6000 emigrants in four days, and yet he is but one of the many agents who are to be met with not alone in the large towns and seaports, but even thickly scattered through each petty town and village throughout the country. In England you can have but little conception of the sufferings of the poor Irish emigrant from the time he first announces his intention of leaving home to his final departure; nor, indeed, can it be understood even in this country, except by those who make it their business to investigate the subject. Impressed with this belief, and being desirous of witnessing some of the partings of the emigrants from amidst the scenes of their youth, I took, a few days since, a run into the south-west of the county, from whence the great stream pours into the city of Cork. In my ramble I fell in with a clergyman, who was there on his way to take leave of a large number of his parishioners, who were then packing up.