Changes

[[File:Irish_potato_famine_Bridget_O'DonnelSkibbereen_by_James_Mahony,_1847.jpgjpeg|thumbnail|Bridget O'Donnell left|225px|Potato Famine in Skibbereen, Ireland in 1847]]The Great Irish Famine (1845-1850), one of the last great famines in western Europe. The Famine was a disaster for Ireland, and in many ways, the country has not recovered from its impact to this day. The Famine or the ‘Great Hunger’ as it was known led to the deaths of 1 million people and her another two starving children during million emigrated. The article will examine the impact of the famine on Irish society and how it ‘decisively shaped its history and the nature of its society and economy.<ref>Donnelly, James S (2005), ''The Great Irish Potato Famine in 1849|150px]], Sutton Publishing'', p. 89.</ref> The Irish Famine was not just of local importance but was to have international repercussions. This was because it led to the emigration of millions of Irish people, which changed societies from North America to Australasia.

The Great Irish Famine (1845-1850)====Background====Ireland in 1840 was largely a peasant society, one where Catholic tenants worked the land of a Protestant landowning elite. Much of the last great famines agricultural land in western Europethe country was part of the estates of Protestant landlords.<ref>Patrick Hickey, ''Famine in West Cork: The Mizen Peninsula, Land and People 1800-1852'' (Mercier Press, Cork, 2002). </ref> The Famine country was part of the United Kingdom and was ruled by a disaster for Ireland and British appointed administration in many ways Dublin Castle, who were under the country has not recovered from its impact to this dayLondon government's direct control. The Famine country was overwhelmingly agricultural with little or no industry. Much of the ‘Great Hunger’ as it was known led to population depended on the deaths of 1 million people and the emigration of another two millionpotato for their livelihood. The article will examine the impact vast majority of the famine on Irish society and how it ‘decisively shaped the country’s history and the nature population lived in conditions of its society and economyabject poverty.<ref>Donnelly, James S (2005)Hickey, ''The Great Irish Potato Famine, Sutton Publishingin West Cork'', p. 898.</ref> The Irish Famine was not just of local importance but In 1845, the potato blight was inadvertently brought to have international repercussionsEurope from South America. This was because it led to The potato blight arrived in Ireland in the emigration summer of millions 1846. It caused the potato crop to fail in many areas.<ref>Dr. Dan Donovan, ‘Diary of Irish peoplea dispensary doctor’ ''Southern Reporter''. February 13th, which changed societies from North America to Australasia1847.</ref>

==Background==By the winter of 1846, there was widespread hunger in rural Ireland . The British government began a relief program and purchased maize in 1840 was largely a peasant societylarge quantities to help the starving Irish. However, where Catholic tenants worked the land of a Protestant landowning elitepotato blight caused the potato to fail again in 1847. Much of the agricultural land The Irish poor starved in the country was part of the estates of Protestant landlordsgreat numbers.Many traveled to urban centers in their desperation for food—<ref>Patrick Hickey, ''Famine in West Cork: The Mizen Peninsula, Land and People 1800-1852'' (Mercier Press, Cork, 2002)p. 350.</ref> The country was part of A change in administration in London resulted in a difference in the United Kingdom and was ruled by a British appointed administration government’s relief program in Dublin Castle, who were under Ireland and reduced the direct control amount of food relief available in the London government. The country was overwhelmingly agricultural with little or no industry. Much of the population depended on the potato for their livelihood. The vast majority of the Irish population lived in conditions of abject poverty.<ref>HickeyFoster, R.F (1988), ''Famine in West CorkModern Ireland 1600–1972'', Penguin Group, p.8156.</ref> In 1845, This led to ever more starvation in the potato blight was inadvertently brought country. The malnourished population began to Europe suffer from South Americavarious epidemic diseases such as typhus. As the rural poor sought food in urban centers they began to spread these infectious diseases, which led to high death rates in cities such as Dublin, Limerick, and Belfast. The potato blight arrived in Ireland in the summer of 1846. It caused continued to ruin the potato crop to fail in many areasuntil 1850.<ref>Dr Dan DonovanBy 1850, ‘Diary some one million people had died of a dispensary doctor’ ''Southern Reporter''starvation and disease, and Ireland had been changed forever. February 13th 1847.</ref>

By ====Socio-Economic Impact====[[File:Irish_potato_famine_Bridget_O'Donnel.jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|Bridget O'Donnell and her two starving children during the Irish Potato Famine in 1849|220px]]Perhaps the winter most significant economic impact of 1846 there the famine was widespread hunger in rural Ireland. The British government began a relief program change like landholding and purchased maize in large quantities to help agriculture. Before the Great Famine, the starving vast majority of Irishfamilies suffered on farms that were less than two acres. They survived on what they could grow, mostly potatoes. However, after the potato blight caused famine, this was no longer possible. One of the potato Famine's main impacts was that farms became larger to fail again in 1847. The Irish poor starved in great numbers, many travelled to urban centres, in their desperation for foodensure that they provided families with a sustainable level of income.<ref>HickeyMany landowners, p. 350.</ref> A change in administration who mostly lived in London, resulted in a change in sought to exploit the British government’s relief program situation in Ireland and reduced the amount Famine's aftermath. Many of food relief available in their low tenants had left the countryland and their farms.<ref>FosterThe landowners sought to encourage livestock rearing on their estates, Rwhich was more profitable.F (1988)Increasingly, ''Modern Ireland 1600–1972''moved from arable farming to livestock rearing. However, Penguin Group, p. 156.</ref> This this led to ever more starvation a great deal of unemployment in the country. The malnourished population began to suffer from various epidemic diseases such as typhus. As and did not benefit the rural poor sought food in urban centres they began to spread these infectious diseases and this led to high death rates in cities such as Dublin, Limerick and Belfast. The potato blight continued to ruin the potato crop until 1850. By 1850As a result, some one million people had died of starvation and disease and Ireland had been changed foreverremained a poverty-stricken country.

==Socio-Economic Impact==Perhaps the greatest economic impact of the famine was a change in the nature of landholding and agriculture. Prior The Famine led to the great Famine, the vast majority of Irish families suffered on farms that were less than two acres. They survived on what they could grow, mostly potatoessocial changes. However, after Before the famine, this was no longer possible, Irish people married young and one of had large families. After the main impacts horrors of the Faminefamine, was that farms became largerIrish people married later, in order to ensure that and if they provided families with did not have a sustainable level reasonable sized farm or chance of income. Many landownerssteady employment, who mostly lived in London, sought to exploit the situation in the aftermath of the Faminethey never married. Many As a result of their poor tenants these changes, Ireland had left the land a high rate of unmarried and their farms. They landowners sought single people, which led to encourage livestock rearing on their estatessocial problems, which was more profitableparticularly high levels of alcoholism. Increasingly<ref>Gallagher, Thomas (1987), ''Paddy's Lament, Ireland moved from arable farming 1846–1847: Prelude to livestock rearing. HoweverHatred'', Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, this led to a great deal of unemployment in the country and did not benefit the poorp. As a result, Ireland remained a poverty stricken country7. </ref>

====Religion====The majority of Ireland's population were Catholics (75%), with a large Protestant minority (25%). Ireland was traditionally a very religious society. After the Famine led to great social changes, Irish society became even more religious. Prior to Some scholars have suggested that the Famine's trauma resulted in the famine Irish people married young turning to religion for support and had large familieshope. After In the horrors of decades after the famineFamine, Irish people married later, and if they did not have a reasonable sized farm or chance Catholics became renowned for the strict observance of steady employment, they never marriedtheir religion. As a result Every year thousands of these changes Ireland had a high rate of unmarried and single Irish people became priests or nuns. The Catholic clergy became very powerful in Irish life and this led to social problemssociety.<ref>Foster, in particular high levels of alcoholismp. 234.</ref>Gallagher, Thomas (1987)In the years after the Famine, the Catholic population''Paddys strict interpretation of their religion and the Catholic hierarchy's Lamentgrowing influence worried many Irish Protestants. This was ultimately to increase tensions between Catholics and Protestants, which led to conflict between the two communities throughout the twentieth century in Ireland 1846–1847: Prelude . The Famine also made Irish people very anti-British. This was one of the factors that led to Hatred'', Houghton Mifflin Harcourtthe emergence of violent Irish nationalist organizations such as the Fenians and the Irish Republican Army.<ref>Foster, p. 711.</ref>

==ReligionEmigration==The majority of For many decades after the population in Famine, there was large scale emigration from Ireland were Catholics (75%) with a large Protestant minority (25%). Ireland was traditionally It led to a very religious society. After decline in the Famine, Irish society became even more religiouspopulation. Some scholars have suggested that the trauma of the Famine resulted In 1840 there were 8 and a half million people in the people turning to religion for support and hopeIreland. In 1960 there were only 4.5 million, despite the decades after the Famine, Irish Catholics became renowned for their strict observance of their religioncountry having a high birth rate. Every year thousands of Many Irish people became priests or nuns. The Catholic clergy became very powerful in Irish life had left the country for America and societyelsewhere before the Famine.<ref>Foster, p. 234134.</ref> In the years after However, because of the Famine , millions were to leave the Catholic population strict interpretation of their religion and the growing influence of the Catholic hierarchy worried many in Irish Protestantscountry. This was ultimately to lead to increasing tensions between Catholics and Protestants and this was to lead to conflict between have dramatic consequences for the two populations of many countries. Soon there were substantial Irish communities throughout all over the twentieth century in Irelandworld. The Famine also made These Irish people very anti-British and this was one of the factors that lead emigrants helped to develop the emergence economics of violent their new homes. Irish nationalist organisations emigrants settled on the frontier in countries such as the Fenians America, Canada, and Australia. Emigrants from Ireland helped these nations to expand and ultimately to grow. However, as many of the Irish Republican Armywere Catholics, this led to sectarian tensions with existing Protestant communities in countries such as America and Canada.<ref>Foster, p. 11245.</ref>

====Conclusion====[[File:Ireland_population_change_1841_1851.png|thumbnail|250px|left|Population decline due to the Irish Potato Famine]]The Famine was an extraordinary tragedy for Ireland. It led to mass starvation and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. It decisively shaped Irish society for many decades and even to the present day. The Famine resulted in increased tensions not only between Catholic and Protestant Catholics and Protestants but between Britain and Ireland. These tensions led to violence and instability for many years. Its most ‘durable "durable legacy " was the continuing high emigration levels of emigration from the country, which lasted until at least the 1990s.<ref>Foster, p. 345.</ref> This was a tragedy for Ireland , and as a result of emigration, the Irish population has still not recovered to its pre-Famine level. However, the Famine led to mass a massive emigration from the country wave and this was to have had significant consequences for many nations, especially in North America. Irish emigrants helped countries such as Canada and America to fulfill their potential and become great countries. 

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