Synopses & Reviews
Famine expert Christine Kinealy examines the influences that shaped the responses to the Famine of 1845-52. The key factors she analyses include political ideologies; providentialist ideas that read the potato blight as a judgement from God; opportunistic interpretations; the role of civil servants, Irish landlords and merchants.
Review
'One of the outstanding historians of modern Ireland ... Anyone who wants to understand the making of modern Ireland should read Kinealy's book.' --Irish Democrat 'Tremendous ... An invaluable addition to that small collection of books which help us look at ourselves through our own eyes, giving us the right to feel hurt and angry, a right taken away from us, and which still, sadly, has to be fought for.' --Andersonstown News
Synopsis
Famine expert Christine Kinealy examines the influences that shaped the responses to the Famine of 1845-52. The key factors she analyses include political ideologies; providentialist ideas that read the potato blight as a judgement from God; opportunistic interpretations; the role of civil servants, Irish landlords and merchants.
Synopsis
Examines the historiography of the Irish Famine and its relevance now, in the context of the longer-term relationship between England and Ireland.
About the Author
Dr Christine Kinealy teaches history at the University of Central Lancashire and has also taught at the University of Liverpool and universities in Dublin and Belfast. She is the author of The Great Calamity: The Irish Famine, 1845-52 (Roberts Reinhart, 1994) and has written for History Ireland and the New York-based Irish Echo.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The great Hunger in Ireland: Ideologies and Interpretations
3. A State of Degradation The Pre-Famine Ireland-- The Political background, Dispossession and Disunity: Union and Discord: The Pre famine Economy: Poverty, Population and Poor relief
4. Rotten Potatoes and the Politics of relief: Pre Famine Famines: Potatoes and the Coming of the blight: Peel and Politics of repeal: The Provision of relief
5. Putrefying vegetation and Queens Pay: Party Politics and the Tr