Ireland's History in Maps (1841 AD)

1800

Maps: BC . 100 . 150 . 200 . 300 . 400 . 500 . 600 . 700 . 800 . 900 . 1000 . 1100 . 1200 . 1300 . 1400 . 1500 . 1600 . 1700 . 1800 . 1845

The map above represents pre-famine percentages of literacy and poor (4th class) housing in Ireland circa 1841. This helps set the stage for a short description of 'The Great Hunger' which began in Ireland around the Fall of 1845, continued up to 1851, and ended in the deaths of an estimated one million Irish (or one out of every nine inhabitants). To understand the Great Famine, one must realize the expanding population of early 1800's Ireland and the growing dependency on a single crop - the Potato. To realize why it lasted for five years one must understand the politics, culture and economics of the time, since full crop failures did not occur every year between 1845 and 1850.

In 1800, some four and one-half million people lived in Ireland. By the autumn of 1845, when the Great Famine struck Ireland, there were more than eight million. This was the largest increase in the population of Ireland in its history, an increase estimated at 172%. By the time of the Famine Ireland's population of poor was very high, and its population of landlords was very low (est. 5000).

The "white" potato, known today as the Irish potato, originated in the Andean Mountains. In 1532 the Spanish arrived in north Peru and it is speculated that they brought the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century. By 1800, the potato had taken root and ninety percent of the Irish population was dependent on the potato as their primary means of caloric intake and as an export.

In September of 1845, a fungus called Phytophthora infestans was infecting Ireland's potato crops, devastating the potato population. About half the Irish potato crop failed in 1845. This event is what began The Great Famine in Ireland.

The next year, 1846, the crop was destroyed again. By 1847 (Black '47) the impact of the famine spelled doom for Ireland. A large proportion of the population died from disease or starvation, while a great number of the people fled the country, largely occuring in a five year period between 1846 to 1851. This event is well noted as one of the greatest catastrophes of the 19th century.

While the blight provided the catalyst for the famine, the calamity was essentially man-made, a poison of blind politics, scientific ignorance, rural suppression, and enforced poverty.

Many Irish landlords sent badly needed grain to England for profit, instead of retaining it for the poorer classes (cottiers and labourers). Without crops or employment the tenants could no longer pay rent, so many lost the lands they may have rented while their landlords exported grain ans cattle to offset their losses. The effect of this was multiplied by the fact that the English parliament was reluctant to send any food to Ireland. One official declared in 1846, "It is not the intention at all to import food for the use of the people of Ireland."

Although the net export of food out of Ireland actually decreased over the Famine period, shipping records indicate that 9,992 Irish calves were exported to England during Black '47, a 33 percent increase from the previous year. Irish grain was exported, while cheap Indian meal was (sometimes) imported to feed the poor population. What was not known at the time, however, was the Indian meal contained little or no nutrients and only contributed further to the spread of disease. A majority of Famine victims died from malnutrition-related diseases such as dropsy, dysentery, typhus, scurvy and cholera, rather than directly from starvation.

For many the only alternative to disease and starvation, and the only option to eviction from their tenant lands, was emigration. The Passenger Act of 1847 was passed and it granted each [eligible] emigrant 10 cubic feet and a supply of food and water. Realistically captains didn't obey this act and many people starved or died of disease in cramped quarters aboard the emigrant ships. An estimated one and one-half million Irish emigrated from 1845 to 1851, upwards of 20-45% dying in the "coffin ships" on their journey or shortly after their arrival in their new home.

The overall impacts of the Famine included:

the decline of the Irish language and customs (in 1835, the number of native Irish speakers was estimated at four million -- in 1851, only 2 million spoke Irish as their first language)
the devastation of the landless laborer class and small tenant farmer.
a treeless landscape in many parts of Ireland.
the shells of homes and "mud" cabins that were rendered uninhabitable.
a massive decrease in farms of 15 acres and less. The 1841 census showed that 45% of land holdings were less than five acres. In 1851 this was 15%.
Irish emigrants scattered around the globe.

Today there are over 5 million people in Ireland, while it is estimated there are upwards of 70 million people of Irish descent throughout the world.

In a statement by British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the eve of the 150th Famine commemoration in 1997, he said, "The famine was a defining event in the history of Ireland and of Britain. It has left deep scars. That one million people should have died in what was then part of the richest and most powerful nation in the world is something that still causes pain as we reflect on it today. Those who governed in London at the time failed their people through standing by while a crop failure turned into a massive human tragedy. We must not forget such a dreadful event. Britain in particular has benefited immeasurably from the skills and talents of Irish people, not only in areas such as music, the arts and the caring professions, but across the whole spectrum of our political, economic and social life."

The famine is still a highly sensitive issue in Ireland and has left a bitter legacy in Anglo-Irish relations. Historians agree that the British Government could not be held solely responsible for the calamity. When the potato crop failed through blight every year between 1845 and 1850, food was shipped to Ireland by the Government and charities but the profitable export of grain and cattle was allowed to continue. As wealthy farmers and landowners profited, their tenants starved to death and London was widely accused of doing too little too late by way of relief. Ireland lost a quarter of its eight million population in six years. In addition to those who perished in Ireland, a million fled abroad to North America, Australia and New Zealand. Thousands died in horrific conditions on the Famine Ships.

Decline in Population by County: 1841-1851

County	1831 Census	1841 Census	Forecasted 1851 Census	Actual 1851 Census	% Decrease 1841-1851	Population Decrease 1841-1851	Estimated Population Decrease due to Famine & Emigration
Antrim	323,306	360,870	398,434	359,934	0%	936	38,500
Armagh	220,651	232,393	244,135	196,084	16%	36,309	48,051
Carlow	81,576	86,228	90,880	68,078	21%	18,150	22,802
Cavan	228,050	243,158	258,266	174,064	28%	69,094	84,202
Clare	258,262	286,394	314,526	212,440	26%	73,954	102,086
Cork	812,967	854,118	895,269	649,308	24%	204,810	245,961
Donegal	298,104	296,448	294,792	255,158	14%	41,290	39,634
Down	352,571	361,446	370,321	320,817	11%	40,629	49,504
Dublin	386,694	372,773	358,852	405,147	-9%	(32,374)	(46,295)
Fermanagh	149,555	156,481	163,407	116,047	26%	40,434	47,360
Galway	427,407	440,198	452,989	321,684	27%	118,514	131,305
Kerry	264,559	293,880	323,201	238,254	19%	55,626	84,947
Kildare	108,401	114,488	120,575	95,723	16%	18,765	24,852
Kilkenny	193,024	202,420	211,816	158,748	22%	43,672	53,068
King's	144,029	146,857	149,685	112,076	24%	34,781	37,609
Leitrim	141,303	155,297	169,291	111,897	28%	43,400	57,394
Limerick	300,080	330,029	359,978	262,132	21%	67,897	97,846
Londonderry	222,416	222,174	221,932	192,022	14%	30,152	29,910
Longford	112,391	115,491	118,591	82,348	29%	33,143	36,243
Louth	125,533	128,240	130,947	107,662	16%	20,578	23,285
Mayo	367,956	388,887	409,818	274,499	29%	114,388	135,319
Meath	177,023	183,828	190,633	140,748	23%	43,080	49,885
Monaghan	195,532	200,442	205,352	141,823	29%	58,619	63,529
Queen's	145,843	153,930	162,017	111,664	27%	42,266	50,353
Roscommon	239,903	253,589	267,275	173,436	32%	80,153	93,839
Sligo	171,508	181,002	190,496	128,515	29%	52,487	61,981
Tipperary	402,598	435,553	468,508	331,567	24%	103,986	136,941
Tyrone	302,943	312,956	322,969	255,661	18%	57,295	67,308
Waterford	176,898	196,187	215,476	164,035	16%	32,152	51,441
Westmeath	148,161	141,300	134,439	111,407	21%	29,893	23,032
Wexford	182,991	202,033	221,075	180,158	11%	21,875	40,917
Wicklow	122,301	126,143	129,985	98,979	22%	27,164	31,006
Totals	7,784,536	8,175,233	8,565,930	6,552,115	20%	1,623,118	2,013,815

Sources: 1831, 1841 and 1851 Census of Ireland
Notes:
"Forecasted 1851 Census" = extrapolated 1851 population based on population growth from 1831 to 1841.
"Estimated Population Decrease due to Famine & Emigration" = difference between forecasted and actual 1851 census.
(estimated decrease due to emigration and starvation-related disease and death)
It is almost certain that, owing to geographical difficulties and the unwillingness of the people to be registered, the census of 1841 gave a total smaller than the population in fact was. Officers engaged in relief work put the population as much as 25 percent higher. Perhaps similar comments may be applied to the 1851 census.
The Census Commissioners in 1851 stated that, had the Famine not occurred, the population would have been 9,018,799. The commissioners calculated that, as a percentage of the 1841 population, mortality from 1845 to 1850 was as follows:
1845 : 6.4%
1846 : 9.1%
1847 : 18.5%
1848 : 15.4%
1849 : 17.9%
1850 : 12.2%

Irish History Reference:
Continue the Story at Wesley Johnston's "History of Ireland".

Return to Ireland's History in Maps Home Page

Further Reference:
The Great Irish Famine: http://www.nde.state.ne.us/
The Irish Famine: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
Great Hunger Digitized Books: http://www.quinnipiac.edu
Irish FAQ: The Famine: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/cultures/irish-faq/part06/
Decline in the Population of Ireland: http://www.libraryireland.com
Demographic Map (1991): http://www.mzes.uni-mannheim.de/
The Great Famine in Mayo: http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/
Irish Genocide: http://www.aepizeta.org/~codine/famine/gen.html

1800

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