THE IRISH FAMINE 1845-1848
By Sarah Costello

The famine of 1845-1848 caused many people to leave Ireland. Although our family did not come to the United States until about 1885, it indirectly had much to do with our coming. The present descendants of these millions of Irish people are about three generations removed, as over a hundred years have passed since then, and the reasons why their ancestors came here are almost forgotten, so a short account of the famine would clarify the reason for their sudden and vast immigration at that time.

It was a terrible thing and impoverished Ireland for many years. The year of 1845 looked bright and prosperous, until suddenly on a July night the black blight fell on the growing crops and killed everything. Ireland's principal crop, potatoes were completely destroyed.

Ireland, at this time had a population of over eight million people. When the famine was over, the population had dropped to about two million souls. Many had starved and many more had emigrated. The people who did stay shared what they had, the rich with the poor and the poor with the rich. All suffered alike. To make matters still worse, the Bank of Ireland failed.

I will relate the famine stories told to me by my older neighbors who lived through it.