The Great Irish Famine refers to a period of severe food shortage and mass starvation that occurred in Ireland between 1845 and 1852, mainly due to the failure of potato crops caused by a disease called late blight.
Related terms
Mass emigration: Large-scale movement of people from one country to another. During the Great Irish Famine, there was a significant mass emigration from Ireland to other countries.
Push factors: Negative factors or conditions that force people to leave their homes or homeland. In this case, the dire circumstances created by the famine acted as push factors for Irish people to migrate.
Diaspora: The dispersion or scattering of a population beyond its original homeland. The Great Irish Famine led to a significant Irish diaspora as many people left Ireland seeking better opportunities elsewhere.