Results of the Great Famine

• People have estimated that about a million people died during the worst famine years between 1845 and 1849.
   
• About a million people emigrated to America , Canada , Australia or Britain . People continued to leave Ireland in large numbers for many years after the famine.
   
• The Irish language began to die out. Many of those who died or emigrated were from the western parts of Ireland and had spoken Irish.
   
• Some people were very angry that the English government had not done more to prevent the famine. This caused a lot of anger against Britain and lasted for a long time.
   
• A group called the Young Ireland party, or Young Irelanders, wanted Ireland to have its own government. They began a small rebellion in 1848. However, this rising failed because it happened in the middle of the Great Famine.

Sligo Famine Memorial

The Sligo Famine Memorial, on the Quays.

Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Sligo Famine Memorial
Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Sligo Famine Memorial

The Sligo Famine Memorial, on the Quays.

Courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Enlarge image

Today, there are many memorials in Ireland to the people who emigrated and died during famine. In the dockland area of Dublin along the quay, you can see sculptures of very thin people in memory of all the emigrants who left Ireland from Dublin port during the famine years. The sculptures seem to show people walking towards the ships along the quayside