Page 48 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

46  INTRODUCING IRELAND

Famine and Emigration

The history of 19th-century Ireland is dominated by the Great
Famine of 1845–48, which was caused by the total failure of
the potato crop. Although Irish grain was still being exported
to England, more than one million people died from hunger
or disease, with even more fleeing to North America. By 1900,
the pre-famine population of eight million had fallen by half.
Rural hardship fuelled a campaign for tenants’ rights which Ireland in 1851
evolved into demands for independence from Britain. Great Areas where population
fell by over 25 per cent
strides towards “Home Rule” were made in Parliament by the during the Famine
charismatic politician Charles Stewart Parnell.

The ships that brought the Irish to
Daniel O’Connell America were over crowded and fever­
Known as “The Liberator”, ridden, and known as “coffin ships”.
O’Connell organized
peaceful “monster
rallies” of up to a
million people in
pursuit of Catholic
emancipation. He
was elected MP
for Clare in 1828.

Castle Clinton was
used for processing
new arrivals to New
York prior to the con­
struction of the huge
depot on Ellis Island.

The Boycotting of Landlords
In 1880, troops guarded the crops of Captain
Boycott, the first notable victim of a campaign to
ostracize landlords guilty of evicting tenants. His
name later passed into the English language.

Charles Bianconi’s 1838 Father Mathew founds 1845 Start of
coach service, 1836 1815 First coach service temperance crusade – five million Great Famine,
begins in Ireland Irish take abstinence pledge and which lasts for
whiskey production is reduced by half four years
1817 Royal Canal
is completed
1800 1810 1820 1830 1840
1803 Uprising, led by Robert Emmet, is 1829 After a five­year campaign
crushed after feared Napoleonic by Daniel O’Connell, Catholic
invasion of England fails to materialize Emancipation Act is passed,
1800 Act of Union: Ireland giving a limited number of Father
legally becomes part of Britain Catholics the right to vote Mathew

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