Analysing Sources Lives of the people


LSource 3 Life of the people


Rations People we interviewed told us that the war did not change their lives a great deal. Some foods were scarce; so were clothes, soap, polish and fuel. When the war started, some foods and fuel were rationed. People wrote away to the Department of Supplies for a ration card. They only got two ounces of tea per week. Mr Tanner had a mill for grinding wheat to keep his family supplied with bread. Irish wheat was only good for the brown coloured loaf which was not very tasty. Drink was also rationed. Some people were tricked into buying very expensive tea on the ‘black market’, only to find it half-full with sawdust. Others claimed allowances for family members who were no longer at home. But mostly the ration system worked well. Some foods were scarce for a year or so after the war, but eventually they became available again.


Fuel


Because of shipping difficulties, [Ireland] could not get in fuel supplies. Petrol was rationed very early on, and people got coupons for each month. Mr Tanner told us they had to use the horse and trailer when the month’s allowance was gone [for delivering milk to Cork city].


But most people did not have cars anyway, so it made little difference to them. Everyone had a bicycle, and often cycled long journeys. Coal was also scarce, so a big effort went into turf cutting. Miss Judge remembered they bought part of a bog, and brought home turf in a horse and cart. The Army was sent out to harvest turf, but some soldiers did not like the work.


News People often listened to news on the radio, because there was no television then. Often people, especially fathers, would go to Mary O’Connell’s pub to listen to matches, games and news. The news would have reports of the war and songs to keep people entertained. Speeches were made by Éamon de Valera who was Taoiseach. People were told how Germany saw the war when they listened to Lord Haw-Haw. He came on the radio nearly every night and began with


‘Germany calling, Germany calling’. Social life People told us that they could still go out and enjoy themselves during the war. They were not afraid of bombs or anything like that. They did not travel very far to dances or games – very few people had cars and there was very little petrol for those who had. Most people cycled to the dances, and to the hurling and football matches.


(Source: Fifth Class, Scoil Barra, The War Years: An Account of the Emergency in Ballincollig and District [1939–45], in Times Past, Journal of the Ballincollig Community School Local History Society [1990–91])


1. Did people think that the war had a great impact on their lives? 2. How was rationing organised? 3. How did the people try to overcome the shortages? 4. Did shortages end when the war ended? 5. Did petrol rationing have a large impact? 6. How did people overcome the shortages of coal? 7. What role did the radio play in World War II in the South of Ireland? 8. Investigate who Lord Haw-Haw was. 9. Did the war have a large impact on social activities?


10. What is your overall impression of life in the South of Ireland during World War II? 11. What evidence is there that much of the research for this project was based on oral history? 12. What are the strengths and weaknesses of oral history as a source (see p. 336)?


13. How would you overcome any of these weaknesses when you are researching? Explain your answers using evidence from the sources.


335


Q


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