Irish Immigration and The Famine Overview

Irish Immigration and the Famine

• Ireland faced severe hardship in the mid-1840s due to British rule and a potato crop failure.

• About 2 million people perished from disease and hunger during the Famine.

• Tens of thousands fled to America, referred to as the "Black Forties."

• Major destinations: Boston and New York, with New York becoming the largest Irish city.

• More Irish descendants resided in America than in Ireland within a few decades.

Living Conditions and Perception

• Irish immigrants lived in poor, cramped conditions within slums.

• They faced scorn from older American populations, especially Protestant Bostonians, viewing them as social threats.

• Irish women often worked as kitchen maids, termed "Biddies," and men, referred to as "Paddies," worked on labor-intensive jobs, notably in railroads and canals.

• They were subjected to job discrimination, with signs like "No Irish Need Apply" being common at factories.