Introduction. Private relief organisations were established in Ireland, particularly in Belfast and Dublin. One of the largest was the General Central Relief Committee, formed in Dublin on 29 December 1846. Its offices were at 36 College Green. By the end of 1847, it had given 1,871 grants, ranging from £10 to £400. In total, it distributed £61,767. The Committee included many prominent and influential members of Irish society. Two of its trustees were the Marquis of Kildare and Lord Cloncurry. The Committee included the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Daniel Murray; the Marquis of Abercorn; the Dean of St Patrick’s; the Earl of Erne; Daniel O’Connell MP; and William Smith O’Brien MP. Charitable organisations were also formed in Belfast. The Belfast General Relief Fund was founded by leading members of the local Anglican and Presbyterian churches.

Source. Report of the Proceedings of the General Central Relief Committee for all Ireland from its formation on the 29th December to the 31st December 1847 (Dublin 1848) 1–5.

A General Central Relief Committee for all Ireland was formed on 29th day of December, 1846, and held its first meeting on the 31st, when the following Resolutions were agreed to as the basis on which to act:–

Resolved. That thoroughly acquainted as we are with the state of Ireland, we do feel it a solemn duty to warn the friends of humanity of the awful deficiency of food for subsistence in this country, for even a short period, the deficiency being so great as to threaten with certain death, hundreds of thousands of our fellow creatures; and unless the most active, prompt, and persevering exertions be made to augment in an almost indescribable degree, the quantity of food at present in Ireland, famine and pestilence will desolate the land. …

Those parties who applied to the Committee were furnished with forms of queries, the answers to which were submitted to the consideration of the Committee that sat from day to day, investigating with great pains and patience every application for relief which during the whole year was brought under their notice. ...

About the beginning of September, the extreme pressure having abated, and the early harvest commencing, the Committee ceased allocating, except in a few instances of a peculiar nature, and finally, in October, altogether suspended their operations. ...

The Committee have the satisfaction of being enabled to state, that very general and cordial unanimity prevailed among the clergy of the different religious denominations in their united labours for the relief of the destitute.

Christine Kinealy