The Great Hunger Ireland 1845 1849 Author:Cecil Woodham Smith The Irish potato famine of the 1840s, perhaps the most appalling event of the Victorian era, killed over a million people and drove as many more to emigrate to America. It may not have been the result of deliberate government policy, yet British 'obtuseness, short-sightedness and ignorance' -- and stubborn commitment to laissez-faire ... more »9;solutions' -- largely caused the disaster and prevented any serious efforts to relieve suffering.« less