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Revision as of 02:29, 12 May 2001 by Jmlynch (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)During the 1840's, a potato blight fungus struck across Europe. It turned this important food staple into a black, soggy, and inedible mess. In Ireland, the lower classes were particularly dependent on the potato as their primary and sometimes only foodsource. It is estimated that the initial population of Ireland, about 4 million was halved, with 1 million dying and 1 million emigrating, primarily to America. During this time, Great Britain forced the Irish to export corn (and other crops) which could have save the lives of many Irish.