The following appeared in The Illustrated London News, 1849-50: Issue of December 22, 1849

The Famine in Clare: Condition of Ireland - Illustrations of the New Poor-Law. 

The Sketch of a Woman and Children represents Bridget O’Donnell. Her story is briefly this:- “I lived,” she said, “on the lands of Gurranenatuoha [Garraunnatooha, Kilmacduane Parish]. My husband held four acres and a half of land, and three acres of bog land; our yearly rent was £7 4s.; we were put out last November; he owed some rent. We got thirty stone of oats from Mr. Marcus Keane, for seed. My husband gave some writing for it: he was paid for it. He paid ten shillings for reaping the corn. As soon as it was stacked, one “Blake” on the farm, who was put to watch it, took it away in to his own haggard and kept it there for a fortnight by Dan Sheedey’s orders. They then thrashed it in Frank Lallis’s barn. I was at this time lying in fever. Dan Sheedey and five or six men came to tumble my house; they wanted me to give possession. I said that I would not; I had fever, and was within two months of my down-lying (confinement); they commenced knocking down the house, and had half of it knocked down when two neighbours, women, Nell Spellesley and Kate How, carried me out. I had the priest and doctor to attend me shortly after. Father Meehan anointed me. I was carried into a cabin, and lay there for eight days, when I had the creature (the child) born dead. I lay for three weeks after that. The whole of my family got the fever, and one boy thirteen years old died with want and with hunger while we were lying sick. Dan Sheedey and Blake took the corn into Kilrush, and sold it. I don’t know what they got for it. I had not a bit for my children to eat when they took if from me.”

Her poignant testimony, recorded in "The Lament for Ireland" by Michael J. McCann, echoes the anguish of countless Irish families during the mid-19th century famine. O'Donnell's story embodies the collective suffering and strength of a nation devastated by famine, evoking empathy and shedding light on a dark chapter in history.

However, the Great Famine, its consequential decimation of Ireland’s population and ongoing scarring of the Irish psyche, was far more than a potato blight. In Irish it is called, An Gorta Mór:  the Great Hunger

The Great Hunger in Ireland led to the greatest loss of life in western Europe in the 100 years between the Napoleonic Wars and World War I.

 To read more about the prelude and reasons for this preventable catastrophe and it’s after effects please read further here