Just behind the currach on the grass bank a plaque has been erected to remember the Famine (“An Gorta Mor”) from 1845-52 when people all over Ireland were dying of hunger and disease.
It was recounted in a local school child’s story that there were over 70 houses from Doonmore Castle to Killard but there is no sign of them there now.

These included Thomas O Gorman’s in the castle field, O’Brien’s and Stephen Meehan’s up near the strand, Paddy beag Nicil near McDonell’s, Kelly’s and Maire Bán Gorman’s near the graveyard (in Killard) and Paddy McMahon the school master near Blackhall’s. All these houses were knocked down by the landlord around 1854. Poor people were left with nothing to eat and nowhere to live.