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    You are at:Home » News » Top 10 » 10 CRAZY facts about the IRISH FAMINE
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    10 CRAZY facts about the IRISH FAMINE

    Jade PoleonBy Jade PoleonOctober 25, 2023No Comments5 Mins Read
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    We all know about the Irish Famine of the 1800s, but here are some crazy facts which might shock you.

    10 CRAZY facts about the IRISH FAMINE.

    The Great Irish Famine, also commonly referred to as The Great Hunger in Ireland, is a time in history that substantially impacted the Irish nation, something we still learn about in detail to this day thanks to our education system.

    This pivotal time in history was a horrifying catastrophe which resulted in long-lasting effects, including mass starvation and immigration, which led to a massive decline in the Irish population.

    While you might think you know everything about the Irish Famine, look at some extraordinary and shocking facts. Here are the ten crazy facts about the Irish Famine.

    Table of Contents−
    • We all know about the Irish Famine of the 1800s, but here are some crazy facts which might shock you.
      • 10. Other food sources − whatever they could find
      • 9. A potato blight caused the Famine − the most known fact about the Famine
      • 8. It could easily have been stopped − actions and inactions of the powerful
      • 7. Two million emigrated − there was no hope
      • 6. One million people died − one of the worst famines in history
      • 5. The Irish Famine was never photographed − a crucial crossroads in time
      • 4. The ports were kept open − a shocking fact
      • 3. Boats were blocked at the harbour − an unbelievable thought
      • 2. Many countries helped Ireland − help from abroad
      • 1. The potato blight is now extinct − forever gone

    10. Other food sources − whatever they could find

    In the early 1800s, Irish clothing was not that different from what would be worn in England.
    Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

    During the Famine, people struggled to nourish themselves, and when the worst came to worst, and the blight came into full effect, locals were forced to eat nettles, turnips, and rotten cabbage, and sometimes they resorted to eating grass.

    These alternatives were not substantial, but they were the only choice for people.

    9. A potato blight caused the Famine − the most known fact about the Famine

    One of the crazy facts about the Irish Famine is that it was caused by a potato blight.

    While the potato blight was making its rounds in Europe, what we do know is that it had devastating effects in Ireland.

    At that time, Irish people depended solely on the potato, which was cheap and nutritious, but when this widespread disease tainted the crop, disaster struck, and many people experienced starvation.

    8. It could easily have been stopped − actions and inactions of the powerful

    Actions and inactions of the powerful.
    Credit: Flickr / Wally Gobetz

    One of the top crazy facts about the Irish Famine is that it could have been stopped so quickly, yet the British government in power increased the effects dramatically with their actions and inactions.

    Food that could have been distributed to help impoverished locals was exported overseas.

    7. Two million emigrated − there was no hope

    One of the crazy facts about the Irish Famine is that 2 million people emigrated.
    Credit: commonswikimedia.org

    Between 1845 and 1855, around two million Irish citizens emigrated to other countries to escape mass poverty, which added to the considerable decline in the Irish population.

    Unlike other famines where a section of the country was affected, all Irish people had to either leave or risk disease or starvation.

    6. One million people died − one of the worst famines in history

    One million people died as a result.

    It is estimated that around one million people died from starvation and epidemic disease during the Irish Famine between 1846 and 1851.

    This resulted in eight of the population being killed, which is still one of the worst famines in world history.

    5. The Irish Famine was never photographed − a crucial crossroads in time

    The famine was never photographed.
    Credit: Flickr / William Murphy

    The Great Famine came at a time when photography was a new concept. The human suffering during this pivotal time was never actually photographed, yet it had a long-lasting impact on how the world and its people experienced this period.

    The Famine happened when the old world was evolving into the modern world, at a critical crossroads.

    4. The ports were kept open − a shocking fact

    One of the crazy facts about the Irish Famine is that the ports were kept open.

    One of the craziest facts about the Famine and one of the most surprising is that the ports were kept open in Ireland during this time, and the exportation of food continued to profit those in power.

    Unlike in previous situations where the ports were closed and food was distributed to the locals, it was the opposite.

    3. Boats were blocked at the harbour − an unbelievable thought

    Boats were blocked at the harbour.
    Credit: commonswikimedia.org

    While Irish people struggled to survive with little food, various countries sent boats with supplies to the Irish shores, only to be turned away by those in charge.

    One prime example is the leader of the Ottoman Empire, who sent a boatload of food intentionally blocked by the British.

    2. Many countries helped Ireland − help from abroad

    One of the crazy facts about the Irish Famine is that many countries helped Ireland.
    Credit: Flickr/ Ben Sutherland

    The Great Famine was one of the worst times in Irish history, but while Irish people went through a horrendous experience, many countries tried to help.

    Some regions of the world that helped out included various Caribbean nations, India, the USA and the Ottoman Empire. You can check out an interesting article on the countries that helped Ireland here.

    1. The potato blight is now extinct − forever gone

    The Potato Blight is now extinct.
    Credit: Picryl.com

    One of the craziest facts about the Irish Famine is that it was due to the widespread potato blight, but what is even crazier is that scientists now believe that the particular strain of the disease is now extinct.

    What was once responsible for the death of millions of people has now disappeared, never to return.

    While many crazy things occurred during the Great Irish Famine, these are the craziest facts about the Irish Famine, which are among the most shocking.

    Learn more about the horrifying nature of the Irish famine with this article on 10 further facts.

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    Jade Poleon

    Jade is a seasoned traveller, yoga enthusiast, adventure seeker and travel writer passionate about seeing the world and sharing hidden gems with others. As well as having travelled to 91 countries thus far, she has written for several websites, including The World Bucket List, Meanwhile in Ireland and Ireland Before You Die. In 2022 Jade’s first book ‘ The Ultimate Irish Road Trip Guide’ was published and is currently available on Amazon. She is a keen writer of satirical articles, as well as ‘The best things to do’ and ‘The best dishes to try’ around the globe. Jade is currently on a campervan adventure around Europe, where she continues to get her travel and food inspiration. She is excited to share what she discovers with her readers.

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