In Our Time The Great Irish Famine
Apr 4, 2019
Joining the discussion are Cormac O'Grada, an expert on economic factors related to the famine, Niamh Gallagher, who delves into the social and political context, and Enda Delaney, a history professor analyzing its historical significance. They explore the catastrophic effects of the potato blight in the 1840s, systemic governmental failures, and changing societal attitudes towards aid. The podcast also highlights the mass exodus of Irish individuals seeking better lives and the cultural and political repercussions that reshaped Irish identity.
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Pre-Famine Ireland
- Famines were common in Ireland before the Great Famine, with two major ones in the mid-17th and 1740-41.
- The 1740-41 famine may have killed proportionally as many people as the Great Famine.
Great Famine's Uniqueness
- The Great Famine was unique because it was caused by a potato blight, an ecological disaster.
- This meant there was no return to normal potato harvests, unlike previous famines.
Famine Deaths
- About one million people died in the Great Famine, primarily from diseases like typhus and dysentery, not starvation.
- The spread of disease was exacerbated by population displacement and unsanitary conditions.