Irish Memories of the Great Hunger
Edited by Mary E. Lyons
2002
Ages: 9-12
Genre(s): Informational
Summary: Tragedy after tragedy inflicted the people of Ireland. The Irish suffered greatly during the Great Hunger 1845-1852, due to a fungus on the potatoes and the lack of concern of English landowners that had been given the land when it was seized many years before from the ancestors of those currently renting the land. During these years of disease of the potatoes, one million Irishmen died and 1.5 million moved to the U.S. and Canada. Then black death came in to claim even more lives. Between 1879 and 1894, 6 million more left Ireland after the potatoes were again struck with the blight.
Mary Lyons puts together first-hand accounts collected in the 1940's with beautiful artwork to illustrate their stories. Since there were no pictures recording this time in history, this book is special to the story.
My reaction: This book brings to light the feelings and struggles the Irish went through in that terrible time. The stories are heart-wrenching and poignant and I am thankful to get to experience their feelings through these accounts. This is a very meaningful way to share this time in history and it was very humbling. It shocks me once again how prejudice causes men to deem some as unworthy of human kindness and compassion.
Activity: Have students choose a person, child, mother, father, landlord, emigrant, one who stayed, etc., and write an account from "his or her" point of view. The goal is to help the children understand a little more of what these types of people may have been feeling.
Mary Lyons puts together first-hand accounts collected in the 1940's with beautiful artwork to illustrate their stories. Since there were no pictures recording this time in history, this book is special to the story.
My reaction: This book brings to light the feelings and struggles the Irish went through in that terrible time. The stories are heart-wrenching and poignant and I am thankful to get to experience their feelings through these accounts. This is a very meaningful way to share this time in history and it was very humbling. It shocks me once again how prejudice causes men to deem some as unworthy of human kindness and compassion.
Activity: Have students choose a person, child, mother, father, landlord, emigrant, one who stayed, etc., and write an account from "his or her" point of view. The goal is to help the children understand a little more of what these types of people may have been feeling.
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