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Seriously, The Irish Potato Famine

SkydiveSkydive Member Posts: 737 ✭✭✭✭
edited August 2003 in General Discussion
OK, by 1850 about 1 million died and another 2 million left for America. As the British took best land from the Irish (the land in the center of the Island), they moved towards the coastline where the land was less fertile.

I understand that 2 million deserted their country because there was little food and the English didn't treat them like houseguests, but so many starving to death?

Why didn't they just fish? If I was starving I would grab a branch and make a pole.

All generalizations are bad.
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Comments

  • rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    Well, a lot of them were dirt poor....or worse, can't buy a boat with virtually nothing. Those seas around that region have a reputation for being nasty and a lot of the shore lines around there you can't exactly fish off of......and tickets to the U.S. were probably cheaper than trying to buy a boat and survive off of fishing.

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  • DancesWithSheepDancesWithSheep Member Posts: 12,938 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most didn't die from starvation, but from cholera and typhus. And many more died on ships voyaging to America. Actually, the British provided both food and medical assistance to the Irish, albeit late into the famine.
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    3 Potatos and one Pint of Green Beer = Irish 4-course meal [}:)][:D]
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  • rcdisrcdis Member Posts: 994 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Irish custom was to divide their land,much of which was owed by English landlords and just rented by the Irish, equally among the sons. This practice so limited the size of farming plots that the only crop which could feed a family was the potato. The Irish depended on the crop. When the blight wiped out the crop there was no fallback and no reserve. There was actually quite a bit of wheat being produced for export but the English would not allow the cash crop to be used for domestic consumption. The coast is not available to all Irish, those inland, and a diet of fish or other seafood does not have all the necessary nutrients, making a person susciptable to disease. Ireland was over populated, the small plots could not support the families. When the famine happened Ireland had a larger population than England. After, it had a much smaller population than its neighbor.
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    Ask an Irishman about the potato famine. I am not one, but I know a couple.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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