When valued in 1856 there were 31 (+2) lots listed in Derrycoosh, all leased from Sir William Roger Palmer. Ten were occupied by Walshes. In house 12 we find our 3rd great grandfather, Patrick (John) Walsh, with house, offices and land valued at £2 lb 10 shillings. It is unknown whether Patrick Walsh was a cattle trader like his son John, but it seems likely that he, and perhaps the rest of the family found their way to market day in Castlebar.
In 1835 Jonathan Binns described the scene of such a day.
"It was market day at Castlebar when I arrived there, and I strolled for a couple of hours among the market people. Great numbers of women, holding a hank or two of yarn of their own spinning, stood in the streets and offered their trifling commodities for sale. Very few of those whom I addressed could speak English; but some of the men about, seeing the disadvantages under which I laboured, very obligingly stepped forward, and offered assistance as interpreters. This sort of politeness is common to the Irish. I ascertained that the women could not earn by spinning more than a penny or two-pence a day, and hundreds of them attended the market whose earnings for the whole week did not exceed sixpence or ninepence; yet notwithstanding this inadequate reward of long and hard labour, their honest countenances wore the habitual impress of cheerfulness and perfect good humour. Scarcely any of the women had shoes, and I felt considerable alarm while threading my way through a dense crowd, lest I should step upon their feet.
"The corn and meal were brought into the town by horses, mules, and asses, many of which remained in the market with their loads upon their backs. Oats were selling at 5d. and 6d. per stone. But little wheat is produced in the neighbourhood, nor is barley much grown, except to supply the potheen manufactories in the mountains. Rents are about 20s. and acre ; and wages from 6d. to 8d. a day ; but if regular work is afforded, 6d., without diet, is the usual amount. Although their agriculture and customs seem better adapted to the last century, yet if we may draw a comparison between their present practises and the account given by Arthur Young in 1779, some improvement has actually taken place. "To Castlebar," says he, "over an indifferent country and a vile stony road ; about that town the husbandry is admirable. They have tree customs,......."
(1) Islandeady Civ. Reg. deaths, vol 4 page 38, Patrick Walsh died Derrycoosh, 12th Dec 1883 age 80 Informant Patrick Walsh, Derrycoosh, Son
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