The Irish potato famine which is also called the Great Famine of Ireland occurred between 1842 and 1852. It was a famine that led to the deaths of many due to starvation and disease. During this time people started to mass emigrate to other countries. The great famine was a time period that had huge consequences and left permanent damage to the nation. So here are some interesting facts about the Irish famine.
10 Facts About The Irish Famine
1. Potato blight was the main cause of the Famine.
In Ireland, potatoes were an important crop during the 19th century and it was also a staple food for poor people. In 1844 a disease started emerging that blights potato crops. However, one year later the disease emerged in Ireland and had devastating effects.
2. The famine started from an unlucky turn of events.
In 1845, right before the famine, a strain of the potato blight named phytophthora accidentally arrived from North America. That year due to the unusual weather conditions, the blight spread very quickly and continued to spread over the years. If the weather was favorable, Ireland could have contained the blight.
3. Some in the government believed the famine was God’s plan to punish people.
Some members of the British government believed that the great famine was God’s plan to punish the people of Ireland and destroy their agriculture. They also believed the reason for God’s punishment over Ireland was because of the perverse, selfish, and turbulent character of the citizens.
4. People became resentful of the government leading them to strive for independence.
The British government handled the great famine very poorly. They continued to export food while their people starved and they also gave ineffective measures as solutions to the famine. This led the people to become very resentful and they started striving for independence.
5. Millions of people died and some became refugees.
During the famine, one million people passed away. And another million people became refugees as they had no other option but to emigrate to countries like America, Australia, and Canada.
6. The population of Ireland fell by 25%.
The famine came to an end in 1852 after millions of people died from starvation and disease. And since millions of the remaining people fled the country, it caused overcrowding in poorly managed vessels which also caused the death of Irish people who were emigrating. Due to this, 25% of the population fell and to this day Ireland has not recovered from the pre-famine level.
7. They didn’t close the ports despite the famine which worsened the situation.
In 1782 and 1783 when Ireland was having food shortages, the government took steps to close the ports so that there will be enough food available for the citizens. But when the Great Famine took place in 1845, the government refused to close the ports and they continued to export so that the British could make money. This worsened the situation and caused the starvation of millions of people.
8. Laborers and farmers faced evictions.
During the famine hundreds and thousands of laborers and farmers faced evictions as they had to carry the financial burden of providing food for the people who were starving in Ireland.
9. The Doolough tragedy.
This tragedy took place during the Great Famine when two officials came to examine the locals who were getting a payment called outdoor relief due to the famine. However, they changed the location to 19km away from the original place. During the journey to the location, many people died because of the harsh weather conditions.
10. The microorganism that caused the Irish famine is now extinct.
Later on, scientists found out that the potato blight was a result of a microorganism called phytophthora. But today after much research scientists state that the HERB-1 strain is now extinct and is not a threat anymore.
Overall, the Irish famine also known as the great famine was a time period in which millions of people suffered in Ireland. Due to reckless decisions made by the government, the citizens of Ireland suffered for years. However, today Ireland has successfully fought the famine and is slowly recovering the population that it lost during that time period.
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