An Introduction to The Great Famine

An Introduction to The Great Famine

After a warm, uninterrupted summer, the late summer beckoned, and at

the beginning of September, when the potatoes were to be harvested, it

became clear that entire crops were diseased and unfit for consumption

by either man or animal. Within months the disease had spread and the

Irish were in the grip of a dire potato blight, which within months

had wiped out three quarters of the entire potato crop in Ireland. It

should not be thought that the potato blight was the only reason for

the famine, granted it was a primary factor, however when coupled with

a huge inflation within the Irish population, and that meant due to

this, people had significantly less land to grow and harvest crops,

this when coupled with the potato blight made it neigh on impossible

to prevent the starvation of an entire country.

"Our accounts from the northern parts of this country are most

deplorable. What the poor people earn on the public works is barely

sufficient to support them. All their earnings go for food; and the

consequence is, that they have nothing left to procure clothing. Since

the extreme cold set in, sickness and death have accordingly followed

in its train. Inflammation of the lungs, fevers, and other maladies,

resulting from excessive privation, have been bearing away their

victims. Many have died in the course of last week; and the illness in

every case was traceable to the want of clothing and firing, if not of

sufficient food."

Wexford Independent : this account from a newspaper at the time gives

a clear indication of the exact problems and suffering the Irish were

going through at the time.

Demographic Change:

During the start of the famine there was no significant political

interference, however there was just enough to aid a small majority (

political developments will be explained further on in the document.)

The most dramatic consequence of the Great famine was on the

population. About one million men, women and children died in Ireland