What do you think?
Rate this book
The Famine Plot: England's Role in Ireland's Greatest Tragedy
Hardcover
About the author
Tim Pat Coogan
51 books245 followersTimothy Patrick Coogan is an Irish historical writer, broadcaster and newspaper columnist. He served as editor of the Irish Press newspaper from 1968 to 1987. Today, he is best known for his popular and sometimes controversial books on aspects of modern Irish history, including The IRA, Ireland Since the Rising, On the Blanket, and biographies of Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 7, 2025
As far back as I can remember, I've heard stories about the killing famine in Ireland, an Gorta Mór. Despite knowing what happened, despite knowing that the exploration of wheat to England while the Irish starved never ceased, despite knowing that the Irish were blamed for their own starvation, I had never framed the events as a genocide. Until I read this book.
Coogan takes you on a tour of attitudes, responses, and the blockage of aid that contributed to the death toll. Workhouses were purposely designed to be degrading so only the most desperate would go there. Landlords, who were responsible for much of the poorhouse system and soup kitchens, would evict tenants, even in winter, to avoid this liability. People were expected to denounce their religion for food. It was illegal to provide food or aid to anyone outside such degrading conditions.
When taken as a whole, against a backdrop of pre-existing dehumanization and oppression dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I, the image of a genocide becomes hard to deny.
Great book for anyone interested in genocide studies or Irish history.
Coogan takes you on a tour of attitudes, responses, and the blockage of aid that contributed to the death toll. Workhouses were purposely designed to be degrading so only the most desperate would go there. Landlords, who were responsible for much of the poorhouse system and soup kitchens, would evict tenants, even in winter, to avoid this liability. People were expected to denounce their religion for food. It was illegal to provide food or aid to anyone outside such degrading conditions.
When taken as a whole, against a backdrop of pre-existing dehumanization and oppression dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I, the image of a genocide becomes hard to deny.
Great book for anyone interested in genocide studies or Irish history.
Displaying 1 of 1 review