Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
38. The Great Famine was exacerbated by British policies.
Sat Mar 21, 2015, 05:59 AM
Mar 2015

Ever hear of the Corn Laws? These were protective tariffs on the importation of grain, mostly wheat, into the UK. Although thousands were dying of starvation in Ireland in 1845, the tariff remained in place until 1846. Before continuing, I should define "corn". According to my Merriam-Webster Dictionary,"corn" means "the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (as wheat in Britain, oats in Scotland and Ireland and maize in the United States and Canada)".

Lord Peel, the Prime Minister at the time, arranged for importation of "corn" from the US into Ireland. He thought he was ordering wheat, but when the Americans read "corn" on the order, they assumed he wanted maize and that's what was sent. There were two problems, however:

•The first shipments of maize did not reach Ireland until February 1846.

•The Irish had no experience with maize, which was not grown in Ireland. So they did not know how to prepare it for consumption. I daresay if you are presented with dried maize and told to eat it, you wouldn't know what to do with it either. Do you know that it has to be ground twice? The Irish certainly didn't.

In May 1846, Peel's government fell, and Lord John Russell (Bertrand Russell's grandfather) became PM. He set up a public works program in Ireland, which had also had a couple of problems. The first was that it was woefully underfunded. The second was that it was administered by probably the worst man for the job, Sir Charles Trevelyan.

Trevelyan believed that "the judgment of God sent the calamity to teach the Irish a lesson". The program was deliberately set up to make no improvements to Ireland. The men employed actually broke up existing roads and did not replace them.

I shall not go into the problems of land ownership and so on in Ireland.

Awe inspiring Telcontar Mar 2015 #1
That was over 160 years ago..... a kennedy Mar 2015 #41
I've heard about this before Major Nikon Mar 2015 #2
I'm posting link to this OP in Native Am k&r Panich52 Mar 2015 #3
good idea. thanks for doing it. K&R Tuesday Afternoon Mar 2015 #10
Beautiful gesture and KT2000 Mar 2015 #4
Wonderful. What an amazing act of generosity. avaistheone1 Mar 2015 #5
K&R! Sherman A1 Mar 2015 #6
What a beautiful memorial and gesture. colorado_ufo Mar 2015 #7
Beautiful! =) AverageJoe90 Mar 2015 #8
Perfect. nt Zorra Mar 2015 #9
Another great story ignored by mainstream media QuebecYank Mar 2015 #11
+10. Good news, inspiring. Will send to Irish friends, thanks. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #23
I hadn't heard about this before Warpy Mar 2015 #12
The Irish have long memories, and this, for a change, is a good one Hekate Mar 2015 #13
The potato famine began in 1846 and for three successive harvests, PatrickforO Mar 2015 #14
Informative and concise. Thx for that. nt Guy Whitey Corngood Mar 2015 #15
Precisely Sherman A1 Mar 2015 #16
thank you - KT2000 Mar 2015 #17
One of my Irish American friends said his aunts remembered how in the Irish schools if the police appalachiablue Mar 2015 #25
yes - the oppression KT2000 Mar 2015 #32
Their treatment was horrible. My friend's great aunt came from Galway in 1926 at age 18. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #43
My great aunt made KT2000 Mar 2015 #44
The fortitude of those who came here with little always amazes me. Two candlestick holders appalachiablue Mar 2015 #50
While the British rule in Ireland was filled with atrocities Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2015 #39
JPN to MIS, Sat. March 21, 2015, 6:36 pm appalachiablue Mar 2015 #42
That's not saying "The Brits shot priests for teaching Irish" Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2015 #47
"One of my Irish friends SAID his aunts remembered..." It's not what I claimed, it's what he said appalachiablue Mar 2015 #48
Great info., thanks much. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #24
I'm glad you posted this Caretha Mar 2015 #27
It's heartening how we do remember (eventually) what our dear elders told us when young- appalachiablue Mar 2015 #51
One of my ancestresses came with her family on a coffin ship. She & her sister... Hekate Mar 2015 #31
Appreciate your sharing this incredible family history of two very brave women, what times. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #52
* Starry Messenger Mar 2015 #36
The Great Famine was exacerbated by British policies. Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2015 #38
Yeah, stupid stuff, like Irish families who needed food were not allowed to take the soup away PatrickforO Mar 2015 #40
I believe it had a good deal to do with getting rid of alot of the diversity in the potato crops Marrah_G Mar 2015 #46
Good info. Cromwell's time was horrible, then the famine, exploitation and abuse as you write. appalachiablue Mar 2015 #49
Lovely indeed malaise Mar 2015 #18
Beautiful story! smirkymonkey Mar 2015 #19
Lovely riversedge Mar 2015 #20
Beautiful ohheckyeah Mar 2015 #21
I honor the Choctaw but demigoddess Mar 2015 #22
k and r cwydro Mar 2015 #26
Huge K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT Mar 2015 #28
Kicked and recommended a whole bunch! Enthusiast Mar 2015 #29
k and r niyad Mar 2015 #30
british economic policies engineered famines in both Ireland and India rafeh1 Mar 2015 #33
yes, and not the only time it happened. ND-Dem Mar 2015 #37
Middleton isn't one of Ireland's prettier cities. This oughta be a vast improvement. mackerel Mar 2015 #34
I have both Irish and Native American heritage. I had never heard of this story. How cool. liberal_at_heart Mar 2015 #35
damn, this one made me cry......... Marrah_G Mar 2015 #45
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Irish Build Memorial to C...»Reply #38