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History:

THE IRISH FAMINE

The Irish will always be linked to the potato. There is still controversy over the export of their most nutrient dense food (animal sources) while millions faced starvation during the famine. The point of this post is to illustrate the devastating consequences of relying so heavily on a single staple crop. Many Irish families depended on potatoes because they were poor and had very little land, making potatoes the most practical way to feed their households. And a simple mold took it out (blight).

The Irish were also healthier before the dependency of the potato which was originally used as food for the animals.

Years 1845-1852 (7 years). Some believed it was divine punishment.

One of the most disastrous dependency on this crop was demonstrated through The Irish Famine.

The Irish Famine demonstrates how dependence on a single staple crop (destroyed by blight), combined with poverty and poor conditions, can create a major health crisis.

The Irish famine was so catastrophic with their demographic collapse that their population has still not returned to its pre-famine peak due to the famine deaths and mass emigration.

Irish immigrants helped spread potato cultivation and farming traditions in the United States, carrying with them the cultural importance of a crop that had shaped Irish survival and tragedy.

Here’s a very detailed book about the Irish Famine regarding politics, economics, medicine, demography, religion, and contemporary accounts.

Below are videos regarding the famine:

Ireland’s Great Hunger and the Irish Diaspora

The Great Irish Famine- Short History