The Great Irish Potato Famine

Imagine a country where one million and one hundred thousand people are dying from disease or starvation, in addition to one and a half million others desperately immigrating to other countries, in an attempt to escape the overwhelming sickness and fatality, (World Book Online, 2017). Try to imagine the government that controls you and is responsible for your well being, almost totally neglecting to even acknowledge or take charge of this problem until it is too late. If one were to look at Ireland from 1845 to 1849, this is exactly what happened when a potato famine struck the British ruled country. The Great Irish Famine of 1846 was called "God's Famine" when an unknown, uncontrollable disease turned Ireland's potato crop to slime. Britain's

Aside from death by starvation, Irish people died from famine associated diseases such as cholera and typhus (Irish Culture, 2014). By examining census records it can be shown that the Irish potato famine caused poverty and starvation of the country, decreasing the population to 4 million, half its size before the famine. More than one million people emigrated during the potato famine never to return to Ireland, (Irish Culture, 2014). If the Irish people survived the boat trip riddled by starvation and related diseases, they started new lives in England, America or Canada. By examining the popular press of the time period it can be shown that the Irish potato famine caused hard times for the Irish people who in turn emigrated to other places in search of a plentiful amount of sustainable food. Britain, at the time, was the world’s wealthiest nation and after 1847 there was a sufficient amount of food to prevent the starvation of the Irish population. However, the British were not fond of assisting Ireland. By examining government records it can be shown that the Irish potato famine resulted in prejudice between the British Government and Ireland. Along with prejudice against Ireland, the relationship between the two countries suffered, leaving long lasting affects on both Ireland and

The effects of the Irish potato famine on Ireland’s population lasted long after the famine did. Throughout the famine, older generations had more children then they could support and provide a sufficient amount of food for, as a result of Irelands law against the use of contraception during the years of 1935-1980’s, (The Journal, 2012). The great famine left behind great social change in its wake, fewer children became preferred over a lot of children. During pre-famine Ireland, large families were common along with marriage at a young age with the prospect of children. As a result of the potato blight Ireland’s population feared it would return and mass deaths would overwhelm the temporary stable country. Late marriage became preferred, with its prospect of fewer children, the price paid to be able to keep the family farm intact, (Union Act, 0000). Due to the decrease in births after the potato famine, Ireland’s population continued to decrease. It took years for Ireland’s population to increase and even longer for the population to reach the height it was before the great famine that changed Ireland