Well, an attempt anyway, but, despite the two attempts at wiping us out from our own land, we're still here! May all our ancestors, who suffered, fought and died under foreign tyranny rest in peace. Erin go bragh!
This was not a famine it was deliberate genocide, shiploads of food left Ireland every day while the people starved. My own family were part of the diaspora and came to Scotland .
Saddest part about the famine in Ireland is that it's really what led to the decline of the Irish language with most Irish speakers in the country dying or immigrating and learning other languages. 🇮🇪
@@Momoofx Still at the time of the famine they were 4million monolingual speakers despite the fact that is oulawed for more than a century.for me the crucial event that signaled the demise of the irish language was the end of the gaelic order catholic aristocracy after that the language lost its prestige .Everything was just hammering the nail in further,however if the famine had not happened there would be more to work with regards revival when independence came
A big reason why starvation occurred was a combination of the landlord system and the fact that England forced Ireland to keep exporting food throughout the famine since Irish grain and beef fed a lot of the English working class. On an unrelated note Flanders and Holland are regions that are both part of the modern day Netherlands
Tomas, Flanders is mainly Belgium. The area is still known as Flanders and nowadays it has two distinct groups. The French speakers in the south and the Flemish in the north who speak Walloon. That is why there are the two official languages.
May God bless Denis (Sonny) O’Neill and his keen eye and unswerving loyalty. And may his efforts and those who followed him towards achieving an undivided Republic be achieved.
As an Irish-American Catholic, I want to thank you for learning about this. This terrible event that is such an important part of our history and turned millions of us into refugees is so often overlooked in history. Even if you don’t know about this stuff, the fact that you’re going out of your way to learn about it is what matters, and we really appreciate it!
@@oog2370 being descended from people who fled in the 1840s doesn't really make you Irish today. Americans alway try to be like us because their aunt's granny's dog's left toenail was from Ireland.
Can I just add something. Irish Americans don’t represent us Irish. Many racist Irish Americans compare our struggle with that of other ethnic minorities to excuse their racism. Just know, we the people of Ireland stand beside our brothers and sisters of others who’ve gone through hardships, we don’t stand over them💚
There are plenty of socially progressive Irish Americans where I’m from! Although I know the type, and it’s a shame they give Irish Americans a bad name. But you are right, there is no comparison. That being said I really admire Ireland’s commitment to human rights around the world, and I think there is no doubt that is informed by its history.
Yay! You have to react to the whole series for this - most people have no idea how horrific the famine really was. The saying I always heard growing up was "The potato blight was created by nature but the English created the famine."
It was a Genocide, and the Landlords sent the vast majority of good food was shipped to the British! Also what wasn’t shipped over was burnt, and the Brits called it Irish Birth Control
Some Irish people tried to escape on “coffin ships” also known as cargo ships. They didn’t know where they were going, they didn’t know much but they did know they needed to leave to live. Unfortunately most people didn’t survive the trips and would die due to starvation or Living conditions. There were simple to much people on the boats to have space (they were back to back) and so considering how much of us died we call them coffin ships.
In 1840 the population of all Ireland was 8 million + but by 1850 it was 6.6 million, 1 million people died and 2 million emigrated. The population of northern and Southern Ireland today is only 6.8 million
My Irish family are only just out of deep poverty ( the other side are just poor). I’m English but I hate England and English Colonialism. And with that poverty comes violence and emotional dysregulation. My family left Ireland when my great uncle accidentally murdered someone bare knuckle fighting for money. So many horror stories of poverty and violence. The Sunday best thing is about showing respect not showing out. Also the church would disapprove if u were scruffy and you couldn’t personally have pride if u weren’t smart. My Grandad used to get the shit kicked out of him by nuns for being scruffy and dirty. As an adult he was always turned out like a boss. RIP Brendon
This ignorant person here is highlighting a rather right wing idea that people should simply stop “going on” about the past when precisely the opposite is needed. We need to learn our history to understand nearly everything. And to understand history from the point of view of the oppressed rather than that of the ruling class. This channel is doing that!
@@kaytsippy1981 I’m a lot of things sweetie, but definitely not right wing. I’m opposing the idea of hating a nation and holding them accountable for actions taken by the few hundreds of years ago. I never opposed learning about the potato famine.
@@abbyanderson2463 i hate England for myriad reasons. It’s a truly immoral country in my opinion. Responsible for heinous atrocities around the globe. They invented concentration camps. The famine in India. The war its waging on working class people right now. Grenfell? It refuses to stop arming Saudi Arabia to wage their war on Yemen. Don’t sweetie me. I shared a story about generational trauma stemming from this historical event and you tell me to chill? I ended it with an RIP to my late Grandad. Whose the dick here?
Northern Irelad and the Irish Free State was formed in 1921, 80ish years later. And the Irish sitting of a government that had been existed was scrapped in1800 with the (Irish) Act of Union. Ireland in favour of direct rule from London.
@@jonsouth1545 The vast majority of those who died in the famine would not have had the vote,although catholics were allowed to vote at that stage only men who owned property could vote and most of the victims were landless peasants.Even the catholics who did serve would have been representing the strong farmer class not the peasants and the thing is the penal laws were only repealed in 1829 so i mean they were only getting there act together and the Irish parliamentary part only got started in the 1860s.
When churches were built in wood, they were usually burned down. This is why you will find mass rocks all across Ireland. Mass Rocks are usually big rocks in the middle of fields such as cow fields and the rocks would be used as an Altar. It also meant that if the authorities came round, things such as chalices, altar cloths etc could be easily hidden
@@cm8692 Sure well all be at them if they don't leave us back in the churches soon and why not? I'd go- I'm sick of not being allowed worship properly!
15:46 One of the “hidden” benefits for growing potatoes to a European farmer was that, since they didn’t keep as long as grain or beans, they were less likely to be stolen by passing armies.
Oliver Cromwell was the man who beat the royalists during the English civil war. As with most revolutions, the winners are often bigger despots than the tyrants they defeat. He was a Puritan fanatic who also oppressed the English. Banning Christmas celebrations and theatre are more commonly known ideas oh his. His oppressive ideology was the worst thing that could have happened to Ireland. British rule in Ireland has never been a good thing but with him as the latest chapters pioneer it could never have had a worse foundation.
Oliver views as was Parliament were swayed by penny dreadfuls, pamphlets, broadsheets on what was happening to the English/Scot Colonies - Grid irons, bridges, children pikes, turned out bare in winter. 'Some' priest that led the insurrections with the sword. You could write a very twisted book, far better write two for each Bias.
I'm irish and my teacher studied th famine a lot and one day she said something that just scared the he'll out of the 10 year olds. She said if th famine Haden happened than there would probably be more kids in your class right now.
Go raibh maith agat as do chuid ama a thógáil chun foghlaim faoinár dTír agus ár gcultúr. Níor chlúdaigh an físeán sin leath an scéil iomláin. Goideadh muid dár dteanga. Bhí scoileanna fálaithe againn. Taching i gceantair fálaithe amach. Má ghabhtar é d’fhéadfadh sé do shaol a chostas duit. Leis an ngorta, thóg na Breataine cineálacha eile bia uainn. Bhí a fhios ag muintir na hÉireann go bhfaigheadh siad bás agus d’iarr siad adhlacadh Caitliceach. Ina áit sin dumpáladh taobh an bhóthair iad i ndíoga. Na mílte chun díog. Ba é an cinedhíothú an rud a rinne na Breataine in Éirinn. Móide bhí a leithéid de rudaí ann mar sclábhaithe Éireannacha. Stair fhada a bhí againn leis na Breataine. Ceann a leanfadh ar aghaidh ar feadh blianta fada eile. Fós go leor le foghlaim. ( Thank you for taking the time to learn about our Country and our culture. That video did not cover half of the full story. We were robbed of our language. We had what was known as hedge schools. Taching in hedged off areas. If caught it could cost you your life. With the famine, we had other types of food taken from us by the British. Irish people knew they would die and asked for a Catholic burial. Instead they were dumped into ditches by the road side. Thousands to a ditch. What the British done in Ireland was genocide. Plus there was such things as Irish slaves. Long history we had with the British. One that would continue on for many more years. Still lots to learn. )
@@greeny202ab there was a revival of the language, its still a language used and thought in all schools from a early age up to graduation. Your comment comes across kind of rude , so be kinder in future.
@@kerrill88 Then by definition you were not robbed of it. Scotland was robbed of all its native languages when the Irish invaded in the 5th century, do we then blame the Irish today for what their ancestors did?
@@greeny202ab that it so ignorant omg. The fact that we are a majority English speaking country PROVES that our language was stolen from us. Buíochas le Dia, bhí rud againn darb ainm "Athbheochan Ghaelaí." Tír le teanga, tír le anam agus ar ndóigh, tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.
@@greeny202ab there is a marked difference between those two events. The events that took place when Celtics took over from the Picts in Scotland does not still affect Scotland. But the events of the Penal laws and The Famine affect Ireland TO THIS DAY.
Just to let you know Flanders is now the northern part of Belgium but historically it's been part of a few different countries & kingdoms. Holland is part of the now part of the Netherlands and is where Amsterdam is. Again historically its been both an independent county ie ruled "locally" by a count and part of different kingdoms. Confusingly the whole of the Netherlands is often just referred to as just Holland even some dutch people call it Holland :D.
You definitely need to check the rest of the Famine videos from Extra Credits, it's real informative and will explain a lot about the animosity Irish people had to the British government for VERY good reasons.
the interesting thing about the famine is that its a main reason. Why irish republicanism is mostly rooted in socialism and many modern irish republicans (least ones i know) Are socialists. Cause the free market was meant to save ireland but instead it starved us and made us a diaspora and the fact that capitalism took the side of landowners and land lords which for most people meant being a serf to a brit tho later it was to a rich irishman which was worse. As james connolly one of the leaders of the easter rising said "If you remove the English army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organization of the Socialist Republic your efforts would be in vain. England would still rule you. She would rule you through her capitalists, through her landlords, through her financiers, through the whole array of commercial and individualist institutions she has planted in this country and watered with the tears of our mothers and the blood of our martyrs." All this and more is rooted into the famine and our history
In regards to the no church of stone. Stone was the native source for building and readily available. Wood was an expensive construction material. Peat, straw, waddle, and stone are the native building materials. Peat is also fuel instead of wood.
It is so great to see someone take an interest in our history! There are so many Americans who claim to be Irish (and probably are) but don’t even bother to learn about something which we feel SO strongly about. We are fiercely proud of our independence which is why when we at we mistakenly called British, we snap! One thing which I don’t think you came across was that our National language, Gaeilge, began to die off as a result of the penal laws too. We still learn it in schools but it never recovered from British rule ☹️
If I may make an observation as an Irish citizen, a silver lining from a dark history for my people. Ireland (Republic) is now one of the wealthiest countries in the world, where the international Irish diaspora seeded by famine driven emigration is a significant and influential group (see Joe Biden's stated pride in his Irish heritage). While my country is by no means perfect, barely 100 years old, it has achieved a lot in a short space of time, against all the adversities of colonialism thrown at it and has a more equitable society than nations of greater age. A work in progress but a country that our suffering ancestors would be proud of!! Thank you or taking the time to do these videos in general. It is a complex history and one that often isnt fully understood closer to home. Old wounds heal and they have been healing bar the odd setback like Brexit (believe it or not economically and even culturally there are similarities between the Irish and English along with geographical proximity). If history is your thing, there are few more interesting histories than that of the Irish - not just for Ireland itself but from the role it played in the greater European political spheres, the downfall in the British Empire, contribution to the American Civil War for example, that a number of the founding fathers of Canada were Irish. We even currently hold the rotating seat on the UN Security Council. A small country that has always punched above its weight ;)
The potato blight killed people everywhere across europe, death rate was not as bad as Ireland. As those countries help there people. Britain was the only place in Europe with no death. In fact they invented the full english breakfast from food from Ireland. The one nailed on fact the british did in the famine was double the amount of soliders.
About wooden churches - something else to remember: The Irish have plenty of rocks with which to build. But most of the woods were privately owned - so wood was harder to come by, and more expensive. When it comes to religion - if you were a true believer, what would you trade for your immortal soul?
The penal laws (penalty laws) were designed to withdraw all the life supports from the Irish Catholic population. Dependence on the potato was what left after everything else was whittled away.
When the Irish Catholics were starving the British offered to feed them soup if they joined the Protestant religion. Many years later if an Irishman met a none catholic Irishman he knew that he “took the soup” 😊
The Irish potato famine is a perfect and brutal example of what people who preach about "Free Market Economics" will get you if left to their own devices. The Irish had, in economic terms (that were actually used at the time) "excess population". the Potato famine was a "Market Correction" that merely involved deliberately allowing over 1 million people to starve (over 1 in every 8 people) and 2 million left there homes to flee starvation ( 1 in every 4 people) 3/8ths of the population gone made Ireland more "economically sustainable" and infinitely more profitable for the rich landowners who aided and abetted these policies. To put that into perspective, the landowners and the government colluded in a policy that if it had a proportional effect in the US today - would kill 42 million people - and more - unless we could send 84 million refuges "somewhere" else not that anyone was much counting how many of those refugees died in route. Remember that during the Potato famine, Ireland exported both crops and livestock - food that many of the people who had actually raised those crops could not afford to buy. When food aid was sent (donated) from foreign countries the authorities refused to distribute it for free - because it would "lower the market price" of those food products. But, "that's just the way supply and demand works".
Still waiting for Irish in America history video. I never experienced racism towards me as an Irish person until I lived in England. I have English friends and they were disgusted at how I ended up being treated. I'm not saying this is something to expect in England or from English people it was just a huge shock for me that the past is still very much present in some people. I would constantly be told to go home and that "my kind" are not wanted here. Racism is not okay in anyway shape or Form. Because of colour or where your from, that shit doesn't matter. We are human regardless of where we are born or the colour of our skin.
Black's can own guns, the NRA has ensured that right under the 2nd Amendment. Coilon Noire ( I think that's how it's spelled ) has entire videos on that.
Basic reason as to why for most of last century at lot of people in Ireland hated the English - I think we can all agree not an entirely unfounded prejudice. Englands done a lot of things to justify a lot of people from other hating them.
i think it’s interesting that u say british rule was like a ‘tyrant’ because in a way yes but britain’s extreme ‘laissez faire’ attitude of kinda leave it all to the free markets and liberal ideals of limited government interference in the name of individual ‘freedom’ basically resulted in a lot of its colonies, like right here in the famine video, being neglected and not getting the aid they needed in severe situations which sadly left a lot of people dead or impoverished
It really wasn't laissez faire at all, it only became capitalistic in the mid 19th century before that it was extremely rigid, Catholics were banned from most of the economy and government and lost rights which led to our unfortunate situation when the blight hit. The British government then intervened in our economy over and over during the famine which prevented us from having our own produce, not capitalist at all. The famine wasn't caused by capitalism, it was caused by constant government intervention.
@@Kevc00 yeah no it was very much classic liberal laissez faire attitudes from the british government that worsened the situation. along with prejudice against catholics and irish peasantry. there was limited intervention by Peels government/importing maize to SELL ignoring the fact people couldn’t afford it etc. then Russell’s government came into power and cut treasury spending for relief around 1847
@@ratm1lkkk487 except they didnt adopt those policies until the 1830's and most of the damage that led to the famine was done before then and even then had they allowed the market to work rather than attempting to artificially move it in one way or another it to suit their agenda it would have lessened the blow. For instance with the maize they restricted maize coming in and placed artificial price limits on it to which made it unaffordable, many businessmen in Britain and abroad wanted to give it away for free but we're prevented from doing so by the British government again interference. And yes the penal laws are one of the primary causes of the famine and they are an example of over arching government interfering in people's lives, restricting their rights and freedoms which led to so much of the death. It was not cause by "capitalism" it was caused by plain and simple government ineptitude and mismanagement.
It was 'laissez faire' capitalism/economic (lack of) principles on the part of the absentee landlords definitely, but for the millions of systemically oppressed Irish citizens it was simply the same serfdom they had been laboring under for 500 years. Make no mistake, this was a genocidal action deliberately carried out by successive English governments, it suited their ongoing attempts to snuff out even the idea of an independent Ireland.
The Irish travelled to America as a result of the famine/genocide. Mostly willing with the exception of those sent to the Caribbean as slaves by Cromwell.
honestly i think if you want accurate information about everything that has happened in irish history, you need to like do a zoom call with someone who knows a lot about it. these videos you've watched havent been made by irish people. the others were made by an english person, so first of all they were biased and second of all, in english schools they dont teach this stuff. they minorly teach it but they say that the english were the heroes, the protagonists, while the irish were the villains.
I think when you get time could you have a look at the gaelic revival and the land war ,two crucial parts of irish history that led up to the easter rising the war of independence and irish independence
Your first settlers were Irish, English, German and many more races but probably mostly English to start with then during the famine there would be a lot more Irish people going to Ireland
I believe if you replant potato's in the same ground over a period, then pests and fungi will build up. Risk is mitigated by having many species of potato to seed from and leaving a yearly fallow, with only 5 acres any farming would be dire. IMHO Potato Famine was going to be a Cast Iron Certainty. Just When.
If any Pilgrims were from island of Ireland then they more than likely of English descent or whats known as the Anglo-Irish. But those wouldve been far and few between, if any. The Prilgrims were English.
A piece of dialogue from an Irish film describing the British (outsiders): Bull McCabe: Who would insult me by bidding for my field here in Carraig- thomond? Mick Flanagan: There might be outsiders, Bull. Bull: Outsiders? Outsiders? Are these the same 'outsiders' who took the corn from our mouths when the potatoes Went rotten in the ditches? Mick Flanagan: Ah, now Bull... Bull: Are these the same 'outsiders' who took the meat from the tables when we lay in the ditches with the grass juice running green from our mouths? Mick Flanagan: Take it easy Bull: Are these the same 'outsiders' who drove us to the coffin ships and scattered us to the four corners of the earth? Are these the same 'outsiders' who watched whilst our valley went silent except for the sound of the last starving child? Film: The Field, you should check it out as an American!
I know that some people have commented that the "troubles" are the result of religion but I believe that the southern Irish clung to their Catholicism as a way to separate themselves from the northern Irish protestants who were mainly Scots and English settlers or their descendants.
Talking about the Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland having their own governments comes wayyyy after the potato famine this is the age of plantations pre Irish Free State / Republic of Ireland.
see, this was 1845. ireland didnt have reps in westminster until like the 1900s because ireland wasn't allowed any sort of government and didn't really understand the concept, so we didn't have politicians to be political representatives. we didn't have a proper government until 1921.
In the famine had the chance to give us money to get food but the they decided the Irish would have to build roads to no where bc they thought that starving in a horrible state people needed to work to get money,... Kinda messed up ngl
In der Schule haben wir von dem Wort „Famine“ nichts gehört, ich kenne es aus dem Lied „The Fields of Athenry“. Ebenso nie etwas gehört von „Holodomor“. Kennst du das Wort? Schau nach Holodomor. We didn't hear anything about the word "Famine" at school, I know it from the song "The Fields of Athenry." Also, never heard of "Holodomor". Do you know the word? Look for Holodomor. Beides sind Genocide mit über 5 Million Menschen, die verhungerten. Both are genocide with over 5 million people who starved to death.
At one time the English Royal family were Catholic and didn't have to have a secret room to hold a church service or hide a Catholic priest as they were being hunted out to be killed . The last King to be Catholic was Henry the VIII who when the Pope in Rome wouldn't let him divorce his first wife broke up with Catholic Church and declared that he was head of the Church in England .
Technically correct, however Mary I his eldest daughter became Queen for a few years and went back to country being Catholic. Then Elizabeth I turned it back. Tudor history is a bit messy.
You need to look up the true meaning of the song (this old man he played one... with a nick nack paddy whack give a dog a bone) There’s still songs about the things we went through sang in the uk today and taught to children we will never be welcome here especially a traveller/gypsy! They don’t Evan tell you in any of these who made the ira why they made it the torture the women men and children went through... 🙄 or the things we go through today in the uk.... 🙏🏼 You should watch the wind that shakes the barely 👌🏼❤️ Thank you for noticing us 🍀 may you never miss a days luck
Great comment, and it is a beautiful thing that you take time to look into Irish history. There was a saying at the time of the Great Hunger (or Gentleman's Genocide): "there's always been snow in Ireland, but now it lies on our backs". What the video doesn't point out is that there was a surplus of food because Ireland is a fertile country, part of the problem was that influential parts of the English ruling class regarded Irish people as racially inferior (they had the same attitude towards the English working class, whose conditions were awful, too).
