An Gorta Mór: A Long Prelude Part I
01/05/2024
“Bridget O’Donel(l) and Her Children”, James Mahoney, The London Illustrated News, December 22, 1849
The calamity which unfolded in 19th century Ireland has gone by many names, some extremely misleading and considered offensive - just like attitudes toward the Irish in Britain and elsewhere before and after the period in question.
You may have heard it referred to as The Great Famine, The Potato Famine, The Great Hunger (An Gorta Mór) or An Drochshaol (the bad life/the hard times). More recently the term The Irish Genocide has been used with increasing frequency.
We've opted to use "An Gorta Mór" but admit there is a case for the latter being a more accurate moniker, most importantly because there truly was no famine in Ireland in this timeframe and the blight itself would not have caused the mass starvation, disease and emigration which ensued.
Whatever name one chooses, what we refer to as An Gorta Mór, owes itself to many factors, actions, inactions and historical precedents stretching back centuries - the least of which was a fungus that began attacking the peasantry's primary food source roughly 175 years ago.
Illustration: The ragged image of a evicted and destitute titled “Bridget O’Donnel and Her Children” is widely considered the most enduring symbol An Gorta Mór.
Please note this is the first of a series of posts we plan to release roughly in chronological order, generally following the timeline over which the actual events took place.