Part 4/8:

The Great Potato Famine, which began in the mid-19th century, serves as a grim backdrop to the celebratory nature of Saint Patrick's Day. By the time the blight, a devastating fungus affecting potato crops, hit Ireland in 1845, the nation was home to nearly 8 million people. The blight ravaged the potato harvest, leading to a catastrophic food shortage. Despite desperate pleas for help, the British government’s response was inadequate, highlighting the systemic neglect and disregard for the Irish plight.