The famine

One hundred and fifty three years ago, in the year of 1845 one of the greatest human ecological disasters in the history of the world began in Ireland. In the early 1800's, the potato was an extremely important part of the diet of the Irish people. The potato was presumably a gift from the "New World" and probably reached Ireland via Spain around 1590. It was the most valuable crop in the country. People depended on the …

…they were given no options than to crowd into disease infested workhouses. Other landlords paid for their tenants to leave the country, sending hundreds of thousands of Irish people to America and other English speaking countries. Many fell victim to famine fever (typhus) while others chose another way out: leaving the country. It is estimated that close to 1 million people died during the famine and as many as 2 million more emigrated, primarily to North America.