The structure of land ownership in North Mayo was a constant source of tension throughout the 19th century. Large landowners, who often resided in England, rented land out to tenant farmers, whose tenure on the land was often precarious. This led to significant resistance from the local population when rents were adjusted, leading to periodic eruptions of violence. Moreover, the rural areas surrounding the town suffered from endemic poverty. The Royal Commission into the Condition of the Poorer Classes in Ireland, published in 1838, provided some data on the living conditions of the rural poor living near Crossmolina. The diet of the poor was almost entirely potatoes, while the consumption of meat was very rare (estimated to be only once or twice a year). Laborers could expect a daily payment of between 6 and 8 pennies per day, with some element of wages being paid in the form of food.