The Irish Famine: A Documentary History

by Noel Kissane

Overview

The Irish Famine of 1845-52 was the greatest catastrophe in recorded Irish history. It was caused by the repeated failure of the potato crop, the main food source of the poorer classes. The failure resulted in hunger, starvation, and ultimately death or emigration for a quarter of the population - one million died and over a million emigrated. The emigrants formed the main basis for the Irish diaspora in Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
This source-book documents the course of the calamity by means of contemporary newspaper reports, workhouse records, maps, statistics, and engravings. The texts reveal the attitudes and prejudices of Prime Ministers, administrators and landlords; the first-hand experiences of those involved in relief efforts; and the trauma and tribulations of the victims.
The documents are set in context and a running story-line guides the reader as the tragedy unfolds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780907328247
Publisher:	Syracuse University Press
Publication date:	07/28/1996
Series:	Irish Studies Series
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Noel Kissane is the National Library's education Officer and holds a doctorate in medieval studies from the National University of Ireland. His previous publications include The Irish Face (1987), and Parnell-A Documentary History (1991). He has also compiled the National Library series of folders of historical documents for use in schools, and had edited the award-winning Treasures from the National Library of Ireland (1994).

Editorial Reviews

Newspaper reports, workhouse records, maps, statistics, and engravings document the 1845-52 calamity that left thousands dead from starvation and disease, others weakened for generations, and a quarter of the population permanently overseas. Education officer for the Irish National Library, Kissane arranges the material by such topics as the potato, relief under the Conservatives and Liberals, soup kitchens, fever and disease, charity, evictions, and emigration. Reveals the attitudes and prejudices of Prime Ministers, landlords, and common people. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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