Genocide or Famine? The Great Hunger of the 1840s

The Great Hunger of the late 1840s devastated Ireland and had a profound impact on the wider world. Around 10% of the population perished from hunger and disease, while a further 10% fled into exile to escape the famine at home. The Irish population in Britain doubled between 1841 and 1861. By 1900, two in every five Irish people were living overseas.

Unsurprisingly, this remains one of the most contested chapters in Irish history. In this presentation Fin Dwyer tackles the history of this most difficult chapter in Anglo-Irish history. Was it a famine or a genocide of the Irish people? Was it different from the other famines that were a feature of life in British colonies during the Victorian era?

He will explore how it affected Ireland, asking what role the British Government played and how wider British society reacted.