The Irish Potato Famine, known in Ireland as the “Great Hunger” or “An Gorta Mór,” occurred between 1845 and 1852. Prior to the famine, over half of Ireland’s population depended on potatoes as their primary source of nutrition. The immediate cause of the famine was several years of failed potato crops, due to the fungus Phytophthora infestans, which thrived in the period’s unusually damp weather. During the famine, it is estimated that up to one million Irish died of starvation, malnutrition, or disease and up to twice as many fled the country. This severity reflected both an overreliance on potatoes (monoculture) and the failure of the British government to provide adequate relief. 

To better understand how and why British relief efforts failed, see the works of David Nally, James S. Donnelly, and Charles Read. Read, specifically, compares famine relief in Ireland to the much more successful efforts deployed during the same years in the British colony of Mauritius, which also experienced devastating crop failures but avoided famine due to timely and effective government intervention. Despite lackluster government relief, news of the famine prompted international donations, such as that provided by the Choctaw nation. 

The famine permanently changed the economic landscape of Ireland, leading to continued immigration long after it ended. By the 1920s, Ireland’s population was half its pre-famine levels. Today, the population of Ireland remains below its pre-famine high of 8.5 million. Accounts of the famine and its devastation can be found here and here. Today, extreme weather caused by climate change has the potential to spark famines across the globe, especially in areas already suffering from poverty and food insecurity. By learning about the Irish experience, we can respond more effectively and meaningfully to keep future crises from becoming catastrophes.

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