You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm & Mild

from Aaron Manky.

Their people were starving.

The kingdom had invaded their country in 1171 and taken their land, forced a new religion

on them and decimated their culture.

For centuries after, the people worked the kingdom's fields or suffered the consequences.

They were forced to pay high taxes and export their butter, honey, livestock and crops,

while their own families died of malnutrition and flat out starvation.

In fact, during times of famine, the kingdom demanded even higher exports.

They had no say in political matters nor were they allowed a voice concerning their land

or rights.

Their nationality was looked down on and they lived in extreme poverty by a combination

of design and disregard.

In short, the people of Ireland were inconsequential to England.

The Irish who immigrated to Britain were forced to live in the poorer rundown sections of

the cities they moved to like Liverpool.

They were physically attacked, banned from entering pubs and refused employment.

The great hunger as it's known started in Ireland in 1840 and lasted into the early 1850s.

The primary food England allowed them to keep the potato, suffered a blight that wiped

out close to 70% of the crop.

In desperate, the people pleaded with the kingdom for mercy and for help, but those requests

went unanswered.

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