Agricultural change and the growth of the creamery system in Monaghan 1855-1920

This chapter examines how Monaghan's agricultural economy evolved in the period between the Famine and the partition oflreland in 1921. It begins with an outline of the general features oflrish agriculture in the 19th century which provides a contexr for analysing rrends within county Monaghan itself. A benchmark profile is then presented of the key features of the county's farm economy at the beginning of the review period, against which subsequent change is compared. The process of change is initially analysed for the period 1855- 1880, prior to the introduction to Ireland of the creamery system which was to have a major impact on fuming in Monaghan. The development of this system is then described in some depth, fOllowed by a review of how agriculture in general changed in the county between 1880 and 1920. A concluding section summarises the main findings of the chapter and the subsequent evolution of Monaghan's creamery sector