Irish Potato Famine Part 2: Potato blight in Ireland

Part 2: Potato blight in Ireland

There were many reports of blight in Ireland in the years prior to the famine but in September 1845 it was official, blight was widespread in Ireland. In November 1845 it was said that over one third of the potato crop had been destroyed.

In 1846 three quarters of the harvest was lost to blight. It was in autumn 1846 when the first deaths caused by starvation were recorded and they weren't the last. There are no exact figures to show how many people died from starvation but I'm pretty sure it was thousands.

It must have been awful to see such hunger and starvation right on your doorstep!!