Wartime food rationing was still in force in the autumn of 1946 and the summer just passed had been the wettest in living memory, raising the prospect of severe winter shortages. With little prospect of receiving grain supplies from North America – most of those were earmarked for Europe where millions were starving – the Government appealed to everyone to help with the harvest which could only be saved by hand because of the sodden state of the land. This report showed the response.
– JOE JOYCE
HELPED BY sunshine and a drying wind, thousands of farm workers, voluntary helpers and troops joined yesterday in the biggest effort yet made to save the harvest.
About 2,000 volunteers and 600 troops left the Dublin centres, but even these were insufficient to meet the demand.
Mr. M.J. O’Connor, Co Dublin Agricultural Officer, stated that about 5,000 volunteers would be needed this week-end. He added that, given a few more days of fine weather and enough helpers, the harvest could be made reasonably safe.
To facilitate harvesting, the Stewards of the Turf Club and the I.N.H.S. Committee have decided to cancel race meetings at Mullingar (September 18th), Limerick Junction (September 19th), and the Curragh (September 20th). So far as possible, new days will be allocated.
The Curragh programme for Saturday, September 21st, which includes the Irish St Leger, will stand. Rugby football clubs have cancelled all practices for today, and about 600 players will be available for harvest work.
No day trials will be held at Harold’s Cross Greyhound Racing Track, Dublin, next week, when the staff will aid in gathering the harvest. There will, however, be night trials after the nights on which there is racing.
With the aid of farm workers, voluntary labour and troops, the 80 acres of wheat belonging to Mr. J. Noonan, Clonkeen, Co Dublin, were completely threshed by midday yesterday and taken away to the mills.
Further progress was reported from other Co Dublin areas. Over 1,200 volunteers left the Dublin central bureau yesterday. Nearly 400 left the Rathfarnham bureau and 150 went out from Dún Laoghaire. Two hundred Dublin Corporation employees and about 100 men from Messrs Guinness took part. One section of the Department of Finance was closed down to allow civil servants to work in the fields.
The ESB has given permission to all its staff to volunteer, and 164 were out. At Rathfarnham, a woman of 70 was among the volunteers.
Córas Iompair Éireann are considering lending buses for the transport of workers, while the Irish Agricultural Wholesale Society has offered all its buses for the week-end.
The rations position was improving, stated Mr. P. Burke, TD, of the Red Cross, yesterday, but far more help was needed. Expenses were about £35 per day, and yesterday over 1,200 rations were issued.
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