The Great Irish Famine (Studies in Economic and Social History)

The Irish Famine of 1846-50 was one of the great disasters of the nineteenth century. Cormac Ó Gráda's concise survey puts the Famine in the context of the Irish economy, assesses the Famine itself, and discusses its many consequences. Despite a devastating food shortage, the huge death toll of one million was hardly inevitable; a less doctrinaire attitude to famine relief could perhaps have saved many lives. This book provides an up-to-date introduction to an event of major importance in the history of nineteenth-century Ireland and Britain. The Irish Famine of 1846-50 was one of the great disasters of the nineteenth century, whose notoriety spreads as far as the mass emigration which followed it. Cormac O'Gráda's concise survey suggests that a proper understanding of the disaster requires an analysis of the Irish economy before the invasion of the potato-killing fungus, Phytophthora infestans, highlighting Irish poverty and the importance of the potato, but also finding signs of economic progress before the Famine. Despite the massive decline in availability of food, the huge death toll of one million (from a population of 8.5 million) was hardly inevitable; there are grounds for supporting the view that a less doctrinaire attitude to famine relief would have saved many lives. This book provides an up-to-date introduction by a leading expert to an event of major importance in the history of nineteenth-century Ireland and Britain Front Matter....Pages 1-8 Introduction....Pages 9-11 Population and Potatoes: the Pre-Famine Context....Pages 12-38 The Great Hunger 1845–1850....Pages 39-64 Aftermath: Ireland after 1850....Pages 65-75 Conclusion....Pages 76-76 Back Matter....Pages 77-87 An examination of the great Irish famine of the nineteenth century, this describes pre-famine conditions, the causes of the famine and its consequences for Ireland.