The following article appeared in the
Irish Times in 1934
 For years I have wondered why the people of Carlow town should
be referred to, on occasions, as Scallion-eaters, especially by the
dwellers in neighbouring towns. Now I know, and for the information
I am indebted to an old book on the Public shelves of the National
Library. It was published early in the nineteenth century, and here
is an extract: "A hundred acres of land about Carlow has been
parcelled out in two and three acre pieces to a number of cottages,
who supply Dublin and most of Leinster with onions. The people are
well clothed, in comfortable habitations and if their industry was
generally practiced, the cry of poverty of the Irish peasant would
soon cease. The grower of onions divides his garden into quarters
the succession being onions, potatoes, barley and clover. He puts
all the manure he can get on his onions, and he prefers street
scrapings to all the other crops. Here is industry, here is exertion; no price
will stop the onion-grower in the purchase of manure." The Carlow
onions may be things of the past, but in Ireland the nickname
inspired by those crops of long ago will never die
The Irish Times
June 1st, 1934.
Sent in by
Peter Walker 2007
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