Great Famine (Ireland)

The Great Famine, Great Hunger, or Potato Famine is the name given to the famine in Ireland in the years 1845-1852. Outside Ireland, it is usually called the Irish Potato Famine.

The famine was caused by "the potato blight", a fungus-like organism which quickly destroyed the potatoes in Ireland, and throughout Europe. The effect was particularly bad in Ireland because potatoes were the staple food for most Irish people at the time.

In Ireland this time is referred to as "the starvation".

By the late 17th century in Ireland, potatoes had become common as a supplementary rather than a major food. The diet was mainly around butter, milk, and grain products. Potato became a base food of the poor, especially in winter.

Starting in 1801, Ireland had been directly governed, under the Act of Union, as part of the United Kingdom. In the 40 years after the union, British governments grappled with the problems of governing the country. One historian calculated that, between 1801 and 1845, there had been 114 commissions and 61 special committees enquiring into the state of Ireland.

According to author Cecil Woodham-Smith:^[1]

"Without exception [the committees'] findings prophesied disaster. Ireland was on the verge of starvation, her population rapidly increasing, three-quarters of her labourers unemployed, housing conditions appalling and the standard of living unbelievably low".

There were many causes of the Great Famine.

The lack of genetic variability among the potato plants in Ireland caused Phytophthora infestans to emerge. This had devastating effects.

The potato was the only crop affected, and Ireland continued to produce corn, wheat, barley, and beef. However, the mostly English landlords sold these food products outside of Ireland. Meanwhile, there was not enough food for the people in Ireland.

Another factor is that holdings were so small that no crop other than potatoes would be able to feed a family.^[2]

The famine was also caused by monoculture, because they only planted one main crop and let its disease infest all other potatoes in the Irish territory.

It is believed that between 1 million to 1.5 million people died in the three years from 1846 to 1849 because of hunger or disease. Another million became refugees.

Many people who left Ireland moved to Great Britain, (mostly to the nearby town of Liverpool), the United States, Canada and Australia.

• Irish Potato Famine at The History Place