Lesson 4: What Famine?
There is a School of thought , that what happened in Ireland was NOT a Famine, because there was food available and only ONE crop failed - the Potato. This is why some commentators refer to the period as The Great Hunger or 'An Gorta Mor.'
What Famine
‘The Famine was a defining event in the history of Ireland and of Britain. It has left deep scars. That one million should have died in what was then part of the richest and most powerful nation is something that still causes pain as we reflect on it to-day. Those who governed in London at the time failed their people by standing by while a crop failure turned into a massive human tragedy. We must not forget such a dreadful event.’ (1)
There was a crop failure , but according to John Mitchel, as quoted by Cecil Woodham Smith in The Great Hunger , was enough food , wool and flax to feed and clothe not only 9 but 18 millions of people’ (2)
His friend and colleague John Martin went even further , in a speech reported in The Newry Telegraph 1847.
‘In Ireland , there are over 13million acres of arable land. On this , food could be produced sufficient for over 13 million people, and by adopting the best cultivation available , the Irish soil could easily be made to produce food for a population of over 20 million.
We might also estimate that the seas surrounding Ireland would yield annually an amount of food sufficient for the support of a further million people. We have wool , flax and leather but our people are half –naked and in rags.’ (3)
On the twin scourges of starvation and Emigration , he was just as forthright.
‘No matter how productive our soil , hundreds of thousands of our people have lately perished of starvation , and hundreds of thousands more of plagues brought on by insufficient and unwholesome food, whilst hundreds of thousands have fled our shores in terror of starvation.’ (4)
He made it clear what steps the British Government should have been taking to relieve some of the problems.
‘ Ireland must have the full use of all of her material and resources. All Irish produce must be applied for Irish use. The rents of Irish land and the services of Irish landlords must be available for Irish purposes. Ireland must administer the proceeds of all her wealth for the support of all of her children. I do not care if the required legislation is forthcoming from Whigs ,or Tories or Radicals; from aristocrats or democrats ,just as long as in the end we gain the right to use Irish property , for Irish purposes – of giving all of our people a just share in Irish property , of banishing poverty and restoring peace. This is I believe a matter of life and death importance for all of our people.’ (5)
