On
inquiry, I ascertained where they were bought, and learned from
the seller that he was the agent of a Scotch firm, whose boats
were at that time loading in the bay."[10] But although Scotland
imports some 80,000 barrels of cured herrings annually into
Ireland, that is not enough; for we find that there is a regular
importation of cured herrings, cod, ling, and hake, from
Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, towards the food of the Irish
people.[11]
The fishing village of Claddagh, at Galway, is more decaying than
ever. It seems to have suffered from a bombardment, like the
rest of the town. The houses of the fishermen, when they fall
in, are left in ruins. While the French, and English, and Scotch
boats leave the coast laden with fish, the Claddagh men remain
empty-handed. They will only fish on "lucky days," so that the
Galway market is often destitute of fish, while the Claddagh
people are starving. On one occasion an English company was
formed for the purpose of fishing and curing fish at Galway, as
is now done at Yarmouth, Grimsby, Fraserburgh, Wick, and other
places. Operations were commenced, but so soon as the English
fishermen put to sea in their boats, the Claddagh men fell upon
them, and they were glad to escape with their lives.[12]
Unfortunately, the Claddagh men have no organization, no fixed
rules, no settled determination to work, unless when pressed by
necessity.
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