Great Famine and the Irish Diaspora in America

Between 1845 and 1855, nearly 1.5 million Irish women, men and children sailed to America to escape the Great Famine, triggered by successive years of potato blight. The famine and resulting emigation had a profound impact not only on the history of Ireland, but on that of England and North America as well. This volume of original essays commemorates the 150th anniversary of these epochal events and sheds new light on both the consequences of the famine and the experience of the Irish in America. The essays fall into three sections, the first of which examines the changes that took place in Ireland as a result of the famine. The second section explores the evolving perceptions of the famine over time, from the conflicted reactions of the Protestant reading public to coverage in the North American press. The third section looks at public memories of the famine and their role in the creation of Irish American identity.