Correspondence of the Sunday School Society for Ireland. 1817-1818.

Tedd near Irvinestown and Kilcoo near Garrison.

Tedd, County of Fermanagh.  12^th of January 1818.  “The fever raged so high, we were obliged to dismiss our school early in September last; we opened the first Sunday in November, but had to close again.  We intend to open the first Sunday in March if the Lord spare our lives; the distemper is raging; the cries of windows and orphans are very affecting; the graveyards are ploughed, red carts and cars are employed to carry off the dead, and all relief by friends or neighbours to the unhappy sufferers is refused.  Many instances of distress have happened within the circle of my acquaintance: a poor woman and her little son of five years old, were refused access to any house, and night coming on, she took shelter under a car in a gravel pit, and, like the true mother, took off her flannel petticoat, wrapped it round the little object of her care, laid him in her bosom, and laid her down and died.  In the morning a man inquired how she was.  The little child replied that his mammy had fallen asleep and that he could not wake her.  Many such like instances of distress have occurred in our neighbourhood this season.  O what a time is this! God hath a controversy with his people, but they will not learn righteousness.”

Kilcoo, County of Fermanagh 12 June 1817.  “The children are very attentive to the school, and very attentive to advice, get their task and very well; some have repeated from 16 to 36 verses of a Sunday morning.  The children are very much changed for the better; the parents are taking notice of their conduct and sending them regularly to the school.  Several young men and women, attend the school; the neighbours are to build a house for the benefit of the children in the winter season to keep them from cold.  As to the state of where neighbourhood, it is well inhabited with the Protestants, generally poor, not able to give their children instruction.”