[[link removed]]

THIS WEEK IN PEOPLE’S HISTORY, SEP 10–16, 2025  
[[link removed]]


 

xxxxxx

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

_ Starvation in the Midst of Plenty: Deadly Landlordism During the
Potato Famine in Ireland _

Police evicting an Irish farm family,

 

_STARVATION IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY: DEADLY LANDLORDISM DURING THE
POTATO FAMINE IN IRELAND_

_(This week’s column is devoted to a single event due to lack of
time available for the author to produce a regular multi-anniversary
production.)  _

SEPTEMBER 13 IS THE 180TH ANNIVERSARY of one of the first published
descriptions of the potato blight that was beginning to produce a
deadly famine in Ireland. On this day in 1845 the weekly Gardeners’
Chronicle published, “We stop the Press with very great regret to
announce that the potato Murrain has unequivocally declared itself in
Ireland.”

The parasitic organism that was beginning to destroy Irish potato
crops was known to have originated in North America, where it had
destroyed Eastern U.S. potato crops in 1843 and 1844. It is thought
that the organism had crossed the Atlantic via food for passengers on
eastbound ships.

In Ireland, the potato blight, which destroyed about 85 percent of the
potato crop by 1847, continued until 1852. Even though the blight
affected only potatoes and Irish farmers grew large quantities of
other potentially nourishing crops, the landlords exported the crops
that continued to flourish, leaving almost nothing for the poor to
eat.

During those seven years at least a million Irish people (about nine
percent of the population) died from starvation or one of the many
diseases caused by malnutrition. During the famine and several years
thereafter more than two million left the country, never to return.

In addition to the decimation of Ireland’s poor, the famine had a
profound effect on Irish politics, greatly strengthening anti-landlord
and anti-colonial (that is, anti-British) sentiment. It also
accelerated the already substantial diaspora to North America, where
about a million Irish refugees settled between 1846 and 1851. For a
thorough introduction to all aspects of the Irish potato famine and
its repercussions, see _Paddy’s Lament, Ireland 1846-1847: Prelude
to Hatred_ by Thomas Gallagher, which is reviewed here:
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

For more People's History,
visit [link removed]

 

* Potato famine in Ireland
[[link removed]]
* Irish Americans
[[link removed]]
* Irish history
[[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

 

 

 

INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT

 

 

Submit via web
[[link removed]]

Submit via email
Frequently asked questions
[[link removed]]
Manage subscription
[[link removed]]
Visit xxxxxx.org
[[link removed]]

Twitter [[link removed]]

Facebook [[link removed]]

 




[link removed]

To unsubscribe, click the following link:
[link removed]