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Mary Tobin
Mr. Moore
U.S History
6/16/14

PUSH Factors. Ireland to America

The Great Famine of Ireland, known to the rest of the world as the Potato
Famine, was a turning point in Irish history. During the famine it is estimated that at
least 1 million died of starvation, and another million emigrated out of the country,
causing a 25% drop in population. The famine was caused by a disease known as
potato blight that caused potatoes to become black and rotten only a few days after
harvesting. During this time period Potatoes were the staple food of Ireland's poverty,
making up 50% of the population. The famine was also caused by wealthy landowners
and Englands limited help.
In 1845 a blight of unusual character broke out in Ireland. The airborne
disease attacked the main crop of Ireland: potatoes. The potatoes became leathery
with black spots. When opened the potato seemed to be rotting away; left completely
unedible. Experts at the time suggested the blight was due to smoke from railroad cars,
static electricity, or even perhaps vapors from underground volcanoes. Today we know
the disease came from merchant ships traveling between ireland and south america.
The Famine fever of those consuming infected potatoes included cholera, dysentery,
scurvy, typhus, and lice infestations that spread throughout the countryside.
In the 19th century potatoes were the staple food of Ireland, especially for the
people of lower classes. The potato was relatively easy to grow despite, poor soil
conditions, while also yielding a modest profit. This profit however, was not enough to
support most families during this time. It is important to note that the famine was also
in part caused by social and political reasons as well.
In the early 19th century wealthy landowners would lease out no more than 5-10
acres of land to their tenants, keeping holdings so small that no other crop than
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potatoes would suffice to feed a family. It was during this time the middleman system
was introduced. The landlords would leave it to their agents (middlemen) to collect rent
from the tenants, giving landlords more free time and took the responsibility off their
shoulders. These arrangements ensured regular pay at fixed incomes. Unfortunately,
this left tenants vulnerable to the corrupt middlemen who would demand more money
than what was truly owed. The tenants were often swindled out of almost all of their
wages, leaving them in a state of poverty. If a tenant could not pay their rent they
were evicted and all of their belongings were taken as property of the landlord.
Wrecking crews were even sent with teams of horses to pull the small homes down
even when there were families still within hoping to be allowed to live.
At the top of the social pyramid the wealthiest of landlords were usually English
or Anglo-Irish families who owned most of the land. They had almost limitless power
over their tenants. The majority of these English landowners were absentee landlords
who actually lived in England and rented out land in Ireland. They would visit their
estate no more than once or twice in their lifetimes if ever. The rent money was sent
overseas to England from impoverished tenants being paid below minimum wages to
raise crops and livestock for export.
The government response was of little help to relieve the Irish people of their
plight. Initially England believed the free market system would help to end the
starvation in Ireland. The English believed that Ireland had gone through famine
before, and was thus fully equipped to deal with another one. Many Englishmen even
blamed the Irish for their problems and refused to send aid. As conditions worsened,
the British sanctioned rock walls to be constructed at a penny a day. They were
mindless and demoralizing and can be seen even today over much of the western
countryside. It took 2 years of failed crops for the rest of the world to discover the
plight of the Irish. This changed as America, France and even China sent ships with
supplies for relief efforts but were turned back. The wealthiest of landowners in Ireland
would continue to export their grain crops solely because they could get a better price
outside of the country even though the Irish were left to starve.
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Even after the end of the famine in 1850 there were still problems
throughout the country concerning food and housing. between 1849-1854 nearly
50,000 families were evicted from their homes in order to make spacious cattle-grazing
farms. It is believed that my ancestors were one of these families who were evicted
from their homes after the famine ended in 1850. The earliest census records of Tobins
here in America were that of Schuyler Falls NY in 1860. The naturalization records of
Schuyler Falls shows that a John Tobin, son of Patrick and Nellie Tobin, was 26 years
old and came to America at the age of 16, putting the year of immigration around
1850-51.

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Works Cited

"Digital History." Digital History. N.p., 3 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 June 2014.
<http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/irish_potato_famine.cfm>.

"Great Famine (Ireland)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 June 2014. Web. 07
June 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_%28Ireland%29>.

"The Great Famine of 1845." The Great Famine of 1845. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2014.
<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ireland_great_famine_of_1845.htm>.

"The Great Irish Famine: What Was The Blight?" The Great Irish Famine: What Was
The Blight? N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.historyjournal.ie/great-
famine/61-great-famine-main-page/121-the-great-irish-famine-what-was-the-
blight.html>.

"The History Place - Irish Potato Famine: After the Famine." The History Place - Irish
Potato Famine: After the Famine. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 June 2014.
<http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/after.htm>.