Fergal's Fairy Tales

"The fairies know what's going on." Albert Einstein

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Deaf & Dumb? Dumb only? Idiot or Imbecile; or Lunatic?

The 1901 Census of Ireland has just been posted for general access.  This is the return on my grandmother, Ellen McCarron of Ballyrattan (not "Ballyrotten" as printed in the return) Donegal.  She was 20 years old in 1901.  Her father was a stonemason.  One of his works was Saint Columba's Chapel in Drung (not "Dung") Donegal.       At the time, Ireland was a part of The United Kingdom.   Note the top column on far right: "Deaf & Dumb, Idiot, Lunatic, Imbecile, etc" as if parents had the ability to diagnose their own offspring and publish the good news, "Oh, Fergal, he's just an idiot, but he's not a lunatic."

1 comment:

bobinsd said...

That is so funny. I can't believe they would try to lable people like that.