The Hidden Famine - Hunger, Poverty and Sectarianism in Belfast 1840-50

Between 1845 and 1852, Ireland was devastated by the 'Great Hunger' - the most severe famine in modern European history. The view widely held by historians is that the impact of the Famine on the northern province of Ulster, in particular the largely Protestant city of Belfast, was minimal. In the first book on the Famine to focus specifically on Belfast, Christine Kinealy, one of Ireland's leading historians of the period, and Gerard MacAtasney, challenge this view and offer a new interpretation. Drawing on a wealth of original research, Kinealy and MacAtasney begin with an examination of society and social behaviour in Belfast prior to 1845. They then assess the official response to the crisis by the British government, the response by the Church in both England and Ireland, and the part played by the local administration in Ulster. The authors examine the impact of the cholera epidemic on Belfast in 1849-50, the city's recovery after the Famine, and the beginnings of open sectarianism among the business and landed classes of the province.

About the author

Christine Kinealy is a lecturer in history at the University of Central Lancashire. She is the author of The Great Calamity: The Irish Famine, 1845-52 (Roberts Reinhart, 1994) and The Hidden Famine (Pluto Press, 2000). She has written for History Ireland and the New York-based Irish Echo.
Gerard Mac Atasney is an Irish historian based in Belfast who has written widely on the Great Famine in Ireland. He is the author of The Other Famine (The History Press, 2010) and The Hidden Famine (Pluto Press, 2000).

Product details

• Authors: Gerard Mac Atasney, Christine Kinealy, Gerard Mac Atasney, Gerard Macatasney
• Publisher: Wiley
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2020
• EAN: 9780745313719
• ISBN: 978-0-7453-1371-9
• Weight: 385 g
• Illustrations: 2 b&w maps, 8 b&w figures
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, European History, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Disasters & Disaster Relief, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Georgian Era (1714-1837), HISTORY / Europe / Ireland, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Victorian Era (1837-1901), Northern Ireland, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Ireland, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, British & Irish history, Social and cultural history, Famine, Social impact of disasters / accidents (natural or man-made)