Transcript Famine Seminar 13th October 2011 – National Library

Lessons from a history of famines
Dr. Eamon Phoenix
COUNTY
Upper
bound
Lower
bound
COUNTY
Upper
bound
Lower
bound
Antrim
Armagh
Carlow
Cavan
Clare
Cork
Derry
Donegal
Down
Dublin
Fermanagh
Galway
Kerry
Kildare
Kilkenny
Laois
20.3
22.2
8.8
51.8
46.5
41.8
10.1
18.7
12.5
0.7
39.1
58.0
36.1
12.0
18.1
29.1
15.0
15.3
2.7
42.7
31.5
32.0
5.7
10.7
6.7
-2.1
29.2
46.1
22.4
7.4
12.5
21.6
Leitrim
Limerick
Longford
Louth
Mayo
Meath
Monaghan
Offaly
Roscommon
Sligo
Tipperary
Tyrone
Waterford
Westmeath
Wexford
Wicklow
50.2
20.9
26.7
14.6
72.0
21.2
36.0
24.9
57.4
61.1
35.0
22.3
30.8
26.3
6.6
14.6
42.9
10.0
20.2
8.2
58.4
15.8
28.6
18.0
49.5
52.1
23.8
15.2
20.8
20.0
1.7
10.8
(Source: J. Mokyr, Why Ireland Starved)
YEAR
1 Acre
1-5
5-15
15-30
Above
Total
or less
Acres
Acres
Acres
30 Acres
Holdings
____________________________________________________________________________
1847
73,000
139,000
269,000
164,000
157,000
803,000
1851
37,700
88,000
191,800
141,000
149,000
608,000
(Source: L Kennedy et al Mapping the Great Irish Famine)
1841
1851
1861
1871
8,175,000
6,552,000
5,799,000
4,412,000
( Source: H. Litton, The Irish Famine: an Illustrated history)
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
(Source: C Kinealy, The Great Calamity)
220,000
181,000
219,000
214,000
255,000
369,000
193,000