Description
Book SynopsisThe Great Irish Famine of 184552 was the defining event in the history of modern Ireland. At least one million people died, and double that number fled the country within a decade.
The Great Irish Famine surveys the history of this great tragedy through the testimonies of four key contemporaries, conveying the immediacy of the unfolding disaster as never before.
They are:
- John MacHalethe Catholic Archbishop of Tuam
- John Mitchelthe radical nationalist
- Elizabeth Smiththe Scottish-born wife of a Wicklow landlord
- Charles E. Trevelyanthe assistant secretary to the Treasury
Each brings a unique perspective, influenced by who they were, what they witnessed, and what they stood for. It is an intimate and compelling portrayal of these hungry years. The book shows how misguided policies inspired by slavish adherence to ideology worsened the effects of a natural disaster of catastrophic proportions.
Reviews:
Trade Review
“There are many books on this terrible event, but this is one of the most fluent and original. Although it is based on large amounts of primary research its style is accessible and engaging, and the result is a valuable study of a truly harrowing crisis”.
* The Times Higher Education Supplement. *
