Postcard
Collection object
2005.0012
H. 11.5 W. 20.0
Postcard, b/w. Title at bottom right "Patrick St. Limerick". View looking north up the street, from near Denmark St, two carts moving away from camera, one towards, several pedestrians on right pavement; boy on left pavement next to sacks etc outside a shop; a long ladder is set against a shop at left. Reverse printed in black; at bottom left "The potato crop, or its failure was responsible for Ireland's worst disaster of/ all time. In the early 1840's the country's 9 million population were hard/ pressed paying rent to their English landlords with cereal crops. For their/ own survival they depended almost completely on the humble spud./ Thus in 1845 when that crop was seen to have been completely destroyed by/ a blight, the nation was devastated. Over two million people died in the years/ following as a direct result of the Great Famine, and an equal number scraped/ together the £5 single fare to the New World to find a more bearable life./ The resilient 4.5 million people who stayed at home were to be rewarded with/ a breathtaking part in the country's history- The Industrial Revolution"; to right box for stamp and five address lines.