# Source on Irish Great Famine **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052 "2005-10-26T19:59:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/1 "2005-10-26T19:59:21Z")
I’m looking for a good, fairly comprehensive starting source on the Irish Great Hunger of 1845-49, and in particular the British policies leading up to it and ramifications (the “Irish Diaspora”) resulting from it. I’ve read O’Grada’s _An Economic History of Ireland_, but I’m looking for something more specific, and that is still in print. Any suggestions from the historians out there? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/2 "2005-10-26T20:08:40Z")
I’m torn between GQ and CS. _flips coin_ Moved from IMHO to GQ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/3 "2005-10-26T20:26:41Z")
Cecil Woodham-Smith’s **the Great Hunger** is one I’ve had recommended (I saw it in all the bookstores, it seems, in Dublin). I’ve read it, and am very impressed: [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014014515X/103-9306395-7540623?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014014515X/103-9306395-7540623?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance) ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/4 "2005-10-26T21:00:30Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Cecil Woodham-Smith’s **the Great Hunger** is one I’ve had recommended (I saw it in all the bookstores, it seems, in Dublin). I’ve read it, and am very impressed: > > [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014014515X/103-9306395-7540623?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014014515X/103-9306395-7540623?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance) I second **CalMeacheam** ’s recommendation of The Great Hunger. It’s a well-written, riveting history. Woodham-Smith’s account of the Charge of the Light Brigrade, [The Reason Why](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140012788/qid=1130360138/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-0515338-3315346?v=glance&s=books), is also top notch reading. She’s an excellent writer. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/5 "2005-10-26T21:02:53Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > I’m torn between GQ and CS. > > _flips coin_ > > Moved from IMHO to GQ Sorry, **Model** ; I had the same internal debate, but figured it was more of an opinion/survey than a GQ topic and being a little to genecidal for Cafe sprecht. Gabhaim pardún agat! > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Cecil Woodham-Smith’s **the Great Hunger** is one I’ve had recommended I was looking at this one; there are some equivical comments on Amazon but it also seems to address the political issues rather than just treating it as an incidental famine. Thanks; I’ll look for this one at the bookstore. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/source-on-irish-great-famine/328052/6 "2005-10-27T06:48:30Z")
> [@CBCD](#): > > Woodham-Smith’s account of the Charge of the Light Brigrade, [The Reason Why](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140012788/qid=1130360138/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-0515338-3315346?v=glance&s=books), is also top notch reading. She’s an excellent writer. This book also has a chapter on the Great Hunger, as Lord Lucan had estates in Ireland. Some of the descriptions of the sufferers bring to mind scenes from _Night of the Living Dead:_ > [@](#): > > … six famished and ghastly skeletons, to all appearance dead… I approached in horror and found by a low moaning that they were alive… In a few minutes I was surrounded by at least 200 such phantoms, such frightful spectres as no words can describe. By far the greater number were delirious either from famine or fever. > [@](#): > > I can recollect being awakened in the early morning by a strange noise, like the croaking or chattering of many birds… and on looking out of the window I recollect seeing the garden and the field in front of the house completely darkened by a population of men, women and children, squatting in rags, skeleton limbs protruding everywhere… and clamorous though faint voices uplifted for food…