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Starving women and children during the famine
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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
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The emigrating Irish - fleeing on boats to USA and England
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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.