The Great Famine

Programme Outline

Between 1845 and 1849 Ireland suffered a series of potato crop failures. The short-term consequences were appalling hardship, eviction, disease, death and mass emigration. In the longer term, the famine accelerated changes taking place in the Irish countryside and left a legacy of bitterness which still influences political attitudes today. This programme examines the complex causes of the famine. It looks at attitudes adopted towards the poor in the context of the time, and asks what responsibility the British Government and the landlords bore for what happened. It traces the effectiveness of the relief measures used by the authorities to support the destitute, including workhouses, public works and soup kitchens; and the help given by charitable organisations and private individuals. It outlines the effects of emigration on Ireland’s population and social structure, and suggests how the famine may have helped shape the future of Irish nationalism.