Letters from Ireland During the Famine of 1847

by Irish Academic Press Irish Academic Press

Alexander Somerville's unique account of the Irish famine was first published in 1852. However, as it was contained within a much longer three-volume work on free trade, titled The Whistler at the Plough, it remained unknown to most historians. This newly set edition contains a detailed introduction by Dr Keith Snell. Somerville's letters were addressed from some 23 towns making this book a valuable source for local as well as national history.

219 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, though not all that helpful to my senior thesis.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphic account, well told by a remarkable Scotsman, of the appalling conditions under which Irish people were forced to exist in the early to mid nineteenth century. One often hears of "the famine", aware that a million died of it. But behind this statistic is a story of many heartless landlords who, with the support of the law backed up by a diligent constabulary, saw to it that their idle lifestyle was maintained even as their tenants were starving.