August 16th, 1847: The general election is an incongruous intrusion in this part of the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, it confirms the Russell administration in office and shifts the balance of power within his party in favour of those who, like the Chancellor Charles Wood, oppose intervention in Ireland. An impending economic crisis in Britain strengthens the "famine fatigue" syndrome.
The success of the soup kitchen network has shown that Britain possesses the means to feed the starving Irish. But the will is not there. Charles Trevelyan, the Treasury mandarin, is already talking about the Famine being over, even though this year's potato harvest is grossly inadequate.
Lord John Russell is a weak prime minister, full of ill-advised schemes for Ireland's improvement. He is critical of the clearances, which are a by-product of his government's Irish policy.
Despite the enormous supply of free food, the Quakers are still receiving appeals for help. They issue up to £5,000 worth of Indian meal each week, assisted by committees in Cork, Waterford, Clonmel and Limerick.
This operation now relies almost completely on American munificence, Joseph Bewley and Jonathan Pim inform the Irish Relief Committee in New York. "The solicitations for help are now chiefly on behalf of those who in ordinary times have been far removed from want - small farmers, decent tradesmen and others, who are not quite arrived at the point of complete destitution, entitling them to be placed on the public relief lists, or who would shrink from the exposure of their necessities inseparable from a system of legislative relief."
In particular, the Quakers wish to support those left most at risk by the Poor Law Amendment Act: tenant farmers holding "perhaps from four to five acres of ground, which they have with great difficulty managed to cultivate and sow with grain or green crops, and in so doing exhausted all their little resources.
"These persons are generally refused public assistance as not completely destitute; but the alternative of selling their farms at a ruinous price is such as is not to be resorted to but in the very last extremity; and hence they are willing rather to struggle with starvation for the few months which may elapse ere they can reap the fruit of their labours."
While the government is coping efficiently with the crisis at present, the Quakers fear renewed starvation when the Temporary Relief Act expires.
Meanwhile, fever and dysentery are still rife. In Kilmallock, Co Limerick, the fever-stricken shelter in the ruins of the Dominican priory so as not to spread the contagion among their families.
The Nation lists 27 clergymen who have given their lives attending to Famine victims: 18 Catholic and nine Protestant (including Dr Traill, rector of Schull).