Potato
Potato


Potato Blight and other Diseases
Irish Potato Famine
Starving women and children during the famine

The Great Famine in Ireland lasted from 1845 to 1848, and was due to a fungal disease called 'Blight' wiping out the entire potato crop in Ireland, for which the island's inhabitants were dependant for food causing
The emigrating Irish - fleeing on boats to USA and England
widespread hunger and mass emigration to USA and England. In total the Great Famine killed or forced to emigrate between 1.75 - 2.5 million people.

On average in the 1800's the intake of potatoes was up to 10 per day - which provided 80% of their diet. Without these potatoes both humans and animals died of starvation.