The Irish Famine, also known as the Great Famine, Great Hunger and Irish Potato Famine, was one of the most devastating events in Irish history. Between 1845 and 1852, Ireland experienced mass starvation, disease, poverty, evictions and emigration after repeated failures of the potato crop.

Explore the Irish Famine in Dublin

Learn more about the Irish Famine at the Irish Potato Famine Exhibition in Dublin, featuring historic photographs, original artefacts, newspaper accounts and personal stories from the Great Famine.

 

Visit the Irish Potato Famine Exhibition in Dublin

 

This guide explains the history of the Irish Famine, including its causes, potato blight, starvation, disease, British government response, emigration and its lasting impact on Ireland.

More than one million people died during the Famine years, while around one million or more people emigrated from Ireland. The population fell dramatically, and the effects of the disaster continued to shape Irish society, politics, land ownership and emigration for generations.

The Irish Famine was caused immediately by the failure of the potato crop following the arrival of potato blight. But the scale of the catastrophe cannot be explained by potato blight alone. Ireland's widespread poverty, dependence on the potato, landholding system, access to food, disease, government relief policies and other economic and social conditions all influenced what happened.

The Famine changed Ireland forever. It also transformed the lives of millions of people around the world as Irish emigrants established communities in the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia and elsewhere.

For many people today, the Irish Famine is also part of their family history. An ancestor may have left Ireland during these years in search of food, employment, safety or a new life overseas.

What Was the Irish Famine?

The Irish Famine was a period of extreme hunger, disease, poverty and population decline in Ireland, generally dated from 1845 to 1852.

The immediate trigger was the destruction of the potato crop by potato blight. Because a large proportion of Ireland's poorer population depended heavily on potatoes for food, repeated crop failures created an unprecedented crisis.

The Famine affected different parts of Ireland in different ways. Rural communities were particularly badly affected, especially in western and southern counties where poverty and dependence on the potato were greatest.

The crisis resulted in widespread hunger and disease. Many people entered workhouses, sought employment, depended on charitable relief or were forced from their homes.

Others left Ireland.

Emigration became one of the defining features of the Irish Famine and its aftermath.

Irish Famine Timeline: 1845–1852

• 1845 — Potato blight arrives in Ireland and much of the crop fails.
• 1846 — A devastating second failure causes widespread hunger.
• 1847 — Known as “Black '47”; disease and mortality become catastrophic.
• 1848 — Further crop failure and continued hardship.
• 1849 — Famine conditions continue in many areas.
• 1850 — Relief continues while emigration remains extremely high.
• 1851–1852 — The main famine period draws to a close, although its consequences continue for decades.

When Did the Irish Famine Begin?

The Irish Famine is generally considered to have begun in 1845, when potato blight first appeared on a large scale in Ireland.

The first failure was serious, but many people initially believed that the problem would be temporary.

That hope disappeared as the potato crop failed again in 1846.

The repeated failure was devastating because many poor families had few alternative sources of food or income.

Although the potato crop improved in 1847, the effects of the earlier failures were already enormous. People had lost savings, livestock, employment and access to land.

Disease was widespread, and large numbers of people required assistance.

Further potato failures occurred in later years.

For this reason, the Irish Famine was not simply one bad harvest. It was a prolonged crisis lasting several years.

What Caused the Irish Famine?

The immediate cause of the Irish Famine was potato blight, a disease caused by the organism Phytophthora infestans.

However, the reasons why the potato blight developed into such a catastrophic famine were much more complicated.

Several factors contributed to the vulnerability of the Irish population.

The severity of the crisis was influenced by poverty, dependence on potatoes, landholding arrangements, access to food, disease and the response to the disaster.

Dependence on the Potato

The potato had become an extremely important food for Ireland's rural poor.

It could produce a large amount of food on relatively small areas of land and was well suited to Ireland's climate and soil.

Poor families could grow potatoes on small holdings and use them as a major source of their daily food.

This created a serious vulnerability.

If the crop failed once, people might survive by using stored food, livestock or other resources.

If it failed repeatedly, those resources could quickly disappear.

Poverty

Large numbers of Irish people lived in extreme poverty before the Famine.

Many rural families had little financial security.

A family might have access to a small piece of land but have very little cash.

When the potato crop failed, such families could not simply replace their potatoes with more expensive food.

The ability to buy food depended on having money, employment or other resources.

Landholding and Tenancy

Ireland's system of landholding also played an important role.

Many people lived as tenants rather than owning the land on which they farmed.

The security of tenants varied considerably.

When families could no longer pay rent, some faced eviction and the loss of their homes and livelihoods.

The relationship between landlords and tenants therefore became an important part of the Famine story.

Lack of Alternative Employment

Many poor rural families depended on agricultural work.

When the agricultural economy collapsed, employment opportunities could disappear at precisely the moment when people most needed wages to purchase food.

The combination of unemployment, crop failure and poverty made survival extremely difficult.

What Was Potato Blight?

Potato blight is a disease caused by Phytophthora infestans.

It attacks potato plants and can cause the leaves and stems to collapse while the potato tubers rot.

The disease spread rapidly during the 1840s.

In Ireland, the impact was particularly severe because so many people depended on potatoes as their main food source.

The crop failure of 1845 was followed by an even more devastating failure in 1846.

Repeated crop failures meant that families entered each new year with fewer resources.

The potato blight was therefore the immediate agricultural cause of the Irish Famine, but the social and economic circumstances of Ireland determined how devastating the crop failures became.

Why Were Irish People So Dependent on Potatoes?

Ireland experienced major population growth during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

The potato played an important role in supporting this growing population.

It provided a high yield from relatively small areas of land and could be cultivated by people with limited resources.

For many poor families, potatoes were not simply one food among many.

They were the foundation of their diet.

This meant that the failure of the potato crop could threaten the survival of entire families.

The problem was particularly severe for those living on very small plots of land.

When the crop disappeared, there might be no other reliable source of food.

The Famine of 1846

The failure of the potato crop in 1846 was catastrophic.

The previous year's crop failure had already caused serious hardship, but the second failure left many families without enough food to survive.

People began searching for employment and relief.

Some sold possessions.

Others sold animals or borrowed money.

Many entered workhouses.

Some received assistance through relief schemes and soup kitchens.

Disease also became increasingly important.

Malnutrition weakened people's bodies and made them more vulnerable to infectious illnesses.

The crisis therefore developed into both a famine and a major public-health disaster.

What Was Black '47?

The year 1847 became known as Black '47 because of the enormous level of death, disease and suffering experienced during the year.

Black '47 during the Irish Famine in 1847

The potato harvest was better in 1847 than in the previous two years, but the improvement did not end the Famine.

The damage had already been done.

Many people had lost their savings, livestock, employment and homes.

Large numbers were already severely malnourished.

Disease remained widespread.

Workhouses were under enormous pressure.

Thousands of people were dependent on public or charitable assistance.

For these reasons, 1847 became one of the most devastating years of the entire Irish Famine.

Starvation During the Irish Famine

Starvation was the most obvious consequence of the collapse of the potato crop.

Poor families who had previously produced much of their own food suddenly found themselves without sufficient supplies.

Starvation and poverty during the Irish Famine

Some tried to survive by eating alternative foods.

Others gathered wild plants or relied on whatever food they could obtain.

People sold possessions to buy food.

Some travelled in search of work.

Others entered workhouses.

In the worst-affected communities, people became visibly weakened by hunger.

Starvation also increased the impact of disease because severely malnourished people were less able to resist infection.

The experience of starvation varied considerably, but for many families the loss of the potato crop meant the loss of their principal means of survival.

Disease During the Irish Famine

Disease killed enormous numbers of people during the Irish Famine.

Hunger weakened people's immune systems while overcrowding and poor sanitation created ideal conditions for infectious diseases.

Diseases associated with the Famine included:

• Typhus

• Relapsing fever

• Dysentery

• Cholera

• Tuberculosis and other illnesses associated with poor nutrition and living conditions

Workhouses were particularly vulnerable because large numbers of sick and starving people were brought together.

People travelling in search of food, work or assistance could also spread disease between communities.

The death toll from the Famine therefore includes not only people who died directly from starvation but also many who died from diseases associated with extreme poverty and malnutrition.

Scurvy During the Irish Famine

Scurvy is caused by severe vitamin C deficiency.

Although potatoes contain vitamin C, people whose diets became extremely restricted could develop nutritional deficiencies.

Historical evidence from famine-era institutions provides evidence of severe nutritional problems.

One particularly powerful example is the skeleton of a five-year-old child from Kilkenny Union Workhouse, which shows evidence consistent with scurvy.

The remains provide a disturbing physical reminder of how severely the Famine affected children.

The Famine was not simply a statistic.

It affected real families, including children who were particularly vulnerable to starvation and disease.

How Many People Died in the Irish Famine?

More than one million people are generally estimated to have died as a result of the Irish Famine.

The exact number cannot be known with complete certainty.

Deaths resulted from starvation, infectious diseases and other consequences of the crisis.

People died in their homes, in workhouses, in hospitals and while travelling.

The demographic impact was even greater because hundreds of thousands of people also emigrated.

The combination of deaths and mass emigration caused an enormous reduction in Ireland's population.

Did Ireland Export Food During the Famine?

The question of food exports during the Irish Famine is one of the most controversial aspects of the period.

Ireland continued to produce and export agricultural products during the Famine years.

At the same time, many poor people were unable to obtain sufficient food.

These facts have led to extensive historical debate about markets, food distribution, government intervention and the responsibilities of landlords and the British government.

It is important to distinguish between food being produced or exported and starving people having the money or access necessary to obtain food.

Poor families often lacked the purchasing power to buy alternative food even when food was available elsewhere.

The subject of food exports therefore needs to be considered within the wider economic and political circumstances of nineteenth-century Ireland.

What Did the British Government Do During the Irish Famine?

The British government introduced several measures to respond to the Irish Famine, but the nature and scale of government assistance changed as the crisis became more severe.

Imported Indian Corn

When the potato crop first failed in late 1845, the government of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel bought large quantities of Indian corn (maize) from the United States.

The corn was brought to Ireland and distributed through government depots. It was sold at low prices to help make food available to people who could no longer rely on their potato crop.

The government also supported local relief committees, which helped distribute food to communities affected by the crop failure.

Public Works

The government also introduced public works programmes. People affected by the famine could earn wages by working on projects such as building roads and other public infrastructure.

The idea was that people would earn money rather than simply receive food or money as charity. However, the system became increasingly difficult to manage as the number of people needing help grew.

By 1846 and 1847, hundreds of thousands of people were depending on public works, and the system became overwhelmed.

Soup Kitchens

In early 1847, the government introduced a temporary programme of soup kitchens.

These provided cooked food directly to people who were unable to feed themselves. The programme became one of the largest emergency food-relief efforts during the Famine.

The soup kitchens were particularly important during the worst period of the crisis, when large numbers of people had little or no food.

However, the programme was intended as a temporary measure and was closed later in 1847.

The Poor Law and Workhouses

Ireland already had a system of workhouses before the Famine. Under the Irish Poor Law, people who were unable to support themselves could seek assistance through their local Poor Law union.

During the Famine, the workhouse system came under enormous pressure. Large numbers of starving people sought admission, and many workhouses became overcrowded.

In 1847, the government expanded the system of outdoor relief, allowing some people to receive assistance without entering a workhouse.

The cost of providing relief was largely placed on local poor rates, which meant that Irish landowners and ratepayers carried much of the financial burden.

Government Spending and Relief

The level of government spending on famine relief was criticised at the time as being inadequate for the scale of the crisis.

The British government spent millions of pounds on relief programmes, but much of the financial burden was increasingly placed on Ireland itself through the Poor Law.

The government's approach also changed as the Famine continued. Large-scale central government assistance was gradually reduced, while responsibility for providing relief increasingly fell on local Poor Law unions and Irish ratepayers.

This approach was controversial. Critics argued that the scale of government assistance was insufficient given the extent of starvation, disease and poverty. The British government's response to the Famine remains an important subject of historical debate.

Charles Trevelyan

Sir Charles Trevelyan was a senior British Treasury official who played an important role in administering the government's famine relief policy.

Trevelyan supported limited government intervention and believed that relief should not become a permanent system of support. His approach, particularly his emphasis on limiting government responsibility and encouraging self-reliance, has been strongly criticised by historians.

The government's response to the Famine therefore remains an important part of the historical debate about Britain's responsibility for the scale of suffering in Ireland.

Why Was Government Relief Not Enough?

Government measures did provide food, employment and financial assistance to many people. However, the scale of the disaster was far greater than the relief system could cope with.

The potato crop failed repeatedly, poverty was widespread, disease spread rapidly, and hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes or livelihoods.

As the crisis continued, government policy increasingly relied on the existing Poor Law system rather than maintaining large-scale central government food relief.

The result was that enormous numbers of Irish people remained dependent on local relief, workhouses, charity and their own communities during one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of nineteenth-century Europe.

Charles Trevelyan and the Famine

Charles Trevelyan was a senior British civil servant who played an important role in the administration of famine relief.

He supported policies based heavily on ideas about limited government intervention and believed that government assistance should not undermine economic incentives.

Trevelyan has consequently become one of the most controversial figures associated with the Irish Famine.

However, the Famine cannot be explained simply by the actions of one individual.

The disaster developed through the interaction of crop failure, poverty, landholding arrangements, economic conditions, disease and government policies.

Understanding Trevelyan is important, but so is understanding the much wider context.

The Irish Workhouses

The workhouse system existed in Ireland before the Famine.

The Workhouse was intended to provide relief to people who could not support themselves.

Irish workhouse during the Great Famine

During the Famine, however, enormous numbers of starving people sought admission.

Many workhouses became severely overcrowded.

Overcrowding contributed to the spread of disease.

People could die inside workhouses after arriving already weakened by hunger and illness.

Workhouses therefore became one of the most powerful symbols of the Irish Famine.

For families accustomed to living independently, entering the workhouse could also be humiliating and frightening.

In some circumstances, families could be separated within the institution.

Soup Kitchens and Famine Relief

Soup kitchens became an important part of famine relief, particularly during 1847.

They provided food to large numbers of people without requiring them all to enter workhouses.

Relief organisations, local committees and government agencies were involved in attempts to feed people experiencing extreme hardship.

Soup kitchens could provide essential short-term assistance, but they could not solve the underlying causes of the crisis.

The scale of hunger was simply enormous.

Famine Evictions

Eviction was one of the most traumatic experiences associated with the Irish Famine.

When tenants could not pay rent, landlords could seek possession of their holdings.

The behaviour of landlords varied.

Some attempted to help tenants.

Others carried out evictions or cleared properties for economic reasons.

For a rural family, losing a home could mean much more than losing a building.

It could mean losing access to land, food, employment and community.

Some evicted families entered workhouses.

Others depended on relatives or charitable assistance.

Some eventually emigrated.

The memory of Famine evictions remained deeply embedded in Irish society.

Why Did Irish People Emigrate During the Famine?

Irish people had emigrated before the Famine.

However, the crisis dramatically increased the scale and urgency of emigration.

People left for many reasons.

Some were starving.

Some had lost their farms.

Some had been evicted.

Others could no longer find sufficient employment.

Many had relatives already living abroad who could help them establish a new life.

For some families, emigration was a choice made in the hope of finding greater opportunity.

For others, it was effectively a matter of survival.

The result was one of the largest migrations in Irish history.

How Many People Emigrated During the Irish Famine?

More than one million people left Ireland during the Great Famine, mainly between 1845 and 1851. They emigrated to escape starvation, poverty, disease, eviction and the loss of their livelihoods.

Many travelled to Britain, the United States and Canada, while others went to Australia and other destinations. The journey itself could be dangerous, particularly on overcrowded ships, and thousands died during the passage.

Famine emigration was on a much larger scale than the emigration that had taken place before 1845. In 1846, more than 100,000 people left Ireland, followed by more than 200,000 in 1847. Emigration remained exceptionally high in the years that followed.

The Famine therefore transformed Irish emigration from an established pattern into a mass exodus. Its effects continued long after the potato blight had subsided, as millions more Irish people left Ireland during the following decades.

Where Did Irish Famine Emigrants Go?

Irish emigrants travelled to many parts of the world.

The principal destinations included:

• United States

• Canada

• Britain

• Australia

Irish Famine emigrants leaving Ireland for North America

Large Irish communities already existed in some of these places before the Famine.

The arrival of hundreds of thousands of additional emigrants greatly expanded those communities.

The Irish diaspora that developed during the nineteenth century remains an important part of the history of Ireland.

Irish Famine Emigration to America

The United States became one of the most important destinations for Irish emigrants.

Large numbers arrived through ports including New York.

Many emigrants arrived with very little money.

Some settled in cities and found employment in construction, factories, domestic service and other occupations.

Others later moved to different parts of the country.

The Famine therefore had a lasting influence on American society.

Millions of Americans today have Irish ancestry connected to nineteenth-century migration.

For people researching their family history, understanding the Irish Famine can help explain why an ancestor disappeared from Irish records and later appeared in American records.

Irish Famine Emigration to Canada

Canada was another major destination for Irish emigrants.

Large numbers arrived at ports including Quebec during the Famine years.

The journey could be extremely dangerous.

Ships were often overcrowded and sanitation could be poor.

Many passengers were already weakened by hunger and disease before they left Ireland.

In 1847, large numbers of sick Irish emigrants arrived in Canada.

Grosse Île, in the St. Lawrence River, became an important quarantine station.

Thousands of Irish emigrants died in Canada during the crisis.

The events of 1847 became a major part of Irish-Canadian history.

What Were Coffin Ships?

The term "coffin ships" is commonly associated with the emigrant vessels that carried Irish people across the Atlantic during the Famine period.

The voyages could be long and conditions extremely difficult.

Passengers faced overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, limited food and the spread of disease.

Irish Famine emigrants travelling aboard a nineteenth-century emigrant ship

Some emigrants were already severely weakened before boarding.

As a result, people died during some voyages.

The term "coffin ship" has become one of the most enduring expressions associated with Irish Famine emigration.

For the emigrants themselves, however, these ships also represented hope.

They were leaving behind a country devastated by hunger in the hope of finding safety, employment and a future elsewhere.

Children During the Irish Famine

Children were among the most vulnerable victims of the Famine.

Their growing bodies were particularly affected by inadequate nutrition.

Children could become severely weakened by hunger and disease.

Some entered workhouses.

Others were separated from parents or relatives.

Many died.

Historical records, photographs, artefacts and human remains provide evidence of the terrible effect of the Famine on children.

The story of the Irish Famine is therefore not simply the story of agricultural failure.

It is the story of families whose lives were transformed by hunger, disease, poverty and displacement.

The Impact of the Irish Famine on Ireland

The Irish Famine transformed the country.

Ireland's population fell dramatically.

Many rural communities were permanently altered.

Emigration became an established part of Irish life for generations.

Landholding patterns changed.

The Irish language suffered particularly severe losses in some of the areas most heavily affected by death and emigration.

Families became divided between Ireland and countries overseas.

Letters and money travelled back and forth across the Atlantic.

The consequences of the Famine therefore continued long after the worst years of starvation had ended.

The Irish Diaspora

The Famine played an important role in the development of the worldwide Irish diaspora.

Irish communities grew throughout:

• The United States

• Canada

• Britain

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Argentina

• Other countries

For millions of people today, the Irish Famine is part of their family history.

An ancestor may have left a small farm in County Mayo, Galway, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Donegal or another Irish county and travelled overseas.

Some families left together.

Others became separated, with different members travelling at different times.

The records left by these emigrants are now invaluable to genealogists researching Irish ancestry.

How Did the Irish Famine Change Ireland?

The Famine changed Ireland socially, economically and politically.

It accelerated emigration and reduced the rural population.

It changed patterns of land ownership and tenancy.

It influenced attitudes towards British government.

It became part of the historical memory of Irish nationalism.

It also left a profound cultural and emotional legacy.

Stories of hunger, eviction and emigration were passed down through families.

For many descendants of Irish emigrants, the Famine remains a crucial part of understanding where their ancestors came from and why they left.

The Irish Famine and Irish Nationalism

The relationship between the Famine and later Irish nationalism is complex.

The catastrophe contributed to growing resentment towards British rule among many Irish people.

For later generations, the Famine became an important part of the historical memory of Ireland's relationship with Britain.

However, it would be misleading to say that the Famine directly caused Irish independence.

Irish nationalism developed through many different political and social movements over subsequent decades.

The Famine was one important influence within that much longer history.

How Is the Irish Famine Remembered Today?

The Irish Famine is remembered through monuments, memorials, museums, archives, books, films, family histories and public commemorations.

In Dublin, the Irish Famine Memorial beside the River Liffey commemorates the people who left Ireland during the Famine.

Irish Famine Memorial beside the River Liffey in Dublin

The National Famine Memorial at Murrisk in County Mayo is another major memorial.

Museums and exhibitions preserve artefacts and stories associated with the Famine.

Archives are equally important.

Historical documents allow researchers to study the experiences of people who lived through the crisis and the responses of government and local communities.

Why Does the Irish Famine Still Matter?

The Irish Famine happened more than 170 years ago, but its consequences remain visible today.

Ireland's population did not return to its pre-Famine level for many generations.

Millions of people around the world have Irish ancestry connected to nineteenth-century emigration.

For descendants researching their family history, the Famine can help explain why an ancestor left Ireland and established a new life overseas.

The Famine also raises questions that remain relevant today:

• How should governments respond to humanitarian disasters?

• What happens when people are unable to afford available food?

• How does poverty increase vulnerability to disease?

• What happens to communities when large numbers of people are forced to migrate?

• How should societies remember historical tragedies?

The Irish Famine is therefore not simply a story about potatoes.

It is a story about people, poverty, survival, migration and memory.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Irish Famine

When was the Irish Famine?

The Irish Famine is generally dated from 1845 to 1852.

What was Black '47?

Black '47 was the name given to 1847, one of the worst years of the Irish Famine. Despite an improved potato harvest, disease, poverty, displacement and the effects of earlier crop failures caused enormous suffering.

What was potato blight?

Potato blight was a disease caused by Phytophthora infestans. It attacked potato plants and caused the tubers to rot.

Did Ireland export food during the Famine?

Agricultural products continued to be produced and exported during the Famine years. The role of food exports, markets and government policy remains an important subject of historical debate.

What were Irish workhouses?

Workhouses were institutions established to provide relief to people unable to support themselves. During the Famine, they became overcrowded as huge numbers of starving people sought assistance.

What were coffin ships?

"Coffin ships" is a term commonly associated with emigrant vessels carrying Irish people across the Atlantic during the Famine period. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate food and disease made some voyages extremely dangerous.

Where did Irish Famine emigrants go?

Large numbers of Irish emigrants went to the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia.

Why did Irish people leave Ireland during the Famine?

People emigrated because of starvation, poverty, eviction, unemployment and the loss of their livelihoods. For some families, emigration became a matter of survival.

How long did the Irish Famine last?

The main Famine period is generally dated from 1845 to 1852, although its effects continued for many years afterwards.

What happened to Irish families during the Famine?

Families experienced hunger, disease, eviction, separation and emigration. Some entered workhouses, while others left Ireland in search of safety and employment.

How did the Irish Famine affect America and Canada?

Large numbers of Irish emigrants arrived in both countries, helping to establish and expand Irish communities. The Famine therefore had a lasting effect on the history and population of North America.

Further Reading and Historical Sources

For further research into the Irish Famine, valuable resources include the National Archives of Ireland, National Library of Ireland and National Museum of Ireland.

These institutions contain historical documents, books, photographs, artefacts and records relating to the Famine, emigration, relief, workhouses and the experiences of people who lived through the crisis.

The Irish Famine remains one of the defining events in the history of Ireland — and its consequences continue to be felt by millions of people around the world..