IRISH MEMORIES of the GREAT HUNGER - Ages 9-12 - Read about the Great Irish Potato Famine

Oct 13, 2026

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Explains the Great Irish Potato Famine as one of the worst disasters of the nineteenth century, describing how a fungus devastated Ireland’s staple potato crop and led, within years, to starvation, disease, and large-scale emigration. Highlights the book’s approach by presenting first-person accounts from people who remembered the Great Hunger, paired with artwork that recreates voices, places, and suffering. Emphasizes endurance through joy, Irish stories and music, and mutual help.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages56

Reading Time1 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

The Great Hunger: 1845-1852

The People

The Houses and the Land

Potatoes and the Blight

Searching for Food

Starvation

Fever

The Poorhouse

Soup Kitchens

Relief Works

Eviction

Emigration and the Ships

Those Who Stayed

One Who Left

A Note to the Reader

Acknowledgments

Bibliography

# IRISH MEMORIES of the GREAT HUNGER 8dilud byMlary 8.Byons $17.00 US $26.00 CAN Ages 9-12 # THE GREAT IRISH POTATO FAMINE— the Great Hunger—was one of the worstdisasters of the nineteenth century.Withinseven years of the onset of a fungus that wipedout Irelands staple potato crop.more than aquarter of the countrys eight million peoplehad either starved to death,died of disease,or emigrated to other lands.Photographshave documented the horrors of other cata-clysmic times in history-slavery and theHolocaust—but there are no known pho-tographs whatsoever of the Great Hunger. In Feed the Children First,Mary E.Lyons combines first-person accounts ofthose who remembered the Great Hungerwith artwork that evokes the times andplaces and voices themselves.The result isa close-up look at incredible suffering,butalso a celebration of joy the Irish took instories and music and helping one another—all factors that helped them endure. 一 # IRISH MEMORIES of the GREAT HUNGER IRISH MEMORIES of the GREAT HUNGER Edited by Mary E.Lyons Atheneum Books for Young Readers 丝 To my brother;Joseph LyoSo dtéigh tú slán i gcónaíGo safely,always Atheneum Books for Young Readers An imprint of Simon G Schuster Children's Publishing Division1230 Avenue of the AmericasNew York,New York 10020Text copyright 2002 by Mary E.Lyons All rights reserved,including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.Book design by Becky TerhuneThe text of this book is set in Caslon Antique.Printed in Hong Kong 24681097531 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Feed the children first:Irish memories of the Great Hunger /edited by Mary E.Lyons-lst ed. p.cm. Includes bibliographical references.ISBN0-689-84226-0 1.Ireland-History-Famine,1845-1852-Juvenile literature.[1.Ireland-History-Famine.1845-1852.]I.Lyons.Mary E.DA950.7.F452002 941.5081-dc2100-049606 二 The Great Hunger:1845-1852The People10The Houses and the Land13Potatoes and the Blight16Searching for Food18Starvation22Fever25The Poorhouse27Soup Kitchens29Relief Works30Eviction32Emigration and the Ships34Those Who Stayed38One Who Left43A Note to the ReaderAcknowledgmentsBibliography 7 4446 48 ② Sketch of child in Galway

FAQs

What caused the Great Hunger in Ireland between 1845 and 1852?

A fungus wiped out Ireland’s staple potato crop, triggering widespread starvation and suffering.

How is the famine presented in the book?

Mary E. Lyons combines first-person accounts from people who remembered the Great Hunger with artwork that evokes the times, places, and voices.

What kinds of experiences and consequences does the book cover?

It covers starvation, fever, the poorhouse, soup kitchens, relief works, eviction, emigration and ships, and the fates of those who stayed or left.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Himbo