This pathfinder is a guide to resources for those interested in learning more about the famine in Ireland that occurred between the years 1845 and 1852, known as the Great Famine within Ireland (An Gorta Mór in Irish), and largely called the Irish Potato Famine outside of Ireland.  The following resources include information on the background and history of the causes of the Famine, its effect on the populace and relations with the British government, and resultant aftermath of emigration and eventual independence from the United Kingdom.  This pathfinder has been written for an audience of high school students who have access to a library within their school and/or a local public library as well as a local college or university that allows public access to its collections.

Dewey Decimal System Call Numbers/Library of Congress Subject Heading

For library browsing within your school or within a public library or institution using the Dewey Decimal System, visit the shelves the using the following Dewey class no.:
941.5081, Ireland--History--Famine, 1845-1852.

For library browsing within a college or university collection (or any other institution that uses the Library of Congress), visit the shelves using the following Library of Congress Call Numbers:
DA950.7, Ireland--History--Famine, 1845-1852.  

Reference: Encyclopedias, Almanacs, and Dictionaries

Crowley, J. Atlas of the Great Irish famine, 1845-52. New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, 2012.
940.5081
DA950.7 .A85 2012
This atlas provides many maps and geodata to show the patterns of Irish emigration.  More of an higher academic title, so may be a challenge for underclassmen.

Edwards, R. Dudley.  The Great Famine; Studies in Irish history 1845-52.  New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, 1957.
DA950.7 .E3
Provides a larger overview of the aspects of Irish life, culture, politics - the first detailed modern study of the Famine.

Kennedy, Liam.  Mapping the Great Irish Famine: A Survey of the Famine Decades.  Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1999.
DA950.7 .M37 1999
Provides charts and maps statistics of Ireland as it could be charted and graphed in the 1800s as well as statistical essays.  A good overview of its contents can be found here: http://pnclink.org/annual/annual2000/2000pdf/4-9-1.pdf

Lalor, B.  The Encyclopedia of Ireland.  New Haven, C.T.: Yale University Press, 2003.
941.5/003
DA906 .E52 2003b
Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of Irish life, culture, and history, includes over 700 illustrations and maps.

McCarthy, J.  Ireland: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to The Present.  New York, N.Y.: Facts on File, 2006.
941.5/003
DA911 .M34 2006
Examines Ireland's history, including its relationship with the United States, its political history, and its cultural contributions, and includes a narrative history, a chronology, and a dictionary of people, events, and terms.

General Annotated Sources

Kelly, J.  The Graves Are Walking: The Great Famine and the Saga of the Irish People.  New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co., 2012.
DA950.7.K45 2012
A comprehensive narrative history of the Famine, well sourced and indexed.

Kinealy, C.  The Great Irish Famine: Impact, Ideology and Religion.  New York, N.Y.: Palgrave, 2002.
DA950.7 .K57 2002
Includes bibliographical references and index.

McLean, S.  The Event and Its Terrors: Ireland, Famine, Modernity.  Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2004.
DA950.7 .M38 2004
941.5081/072
An anthropological study of the Famine and its effect on colonial and post-independence Ireland.

Ó Gráda, C.  Black '47 and Beyond : The Great Irish Famine in History, Economy, and Memory.  Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999.
941.508 O35b
DA950.7 .O366 1999
Includes bibliographical references and index.  Covers topic from a more economic than sociological perspective.

Sonneborn, L.  The Great Irish Famine.  New York, N.Y.: Chelsea House, 2011
941.5081
DA950.7 .S67 2011
Presents the history of the Great Irish Famine politically, agriculturally, culturally, and demographically.  Might be more suitable for underclassman only.

Electronic Sources

Nicholson, A (1851).  Annals of the Famine in Ireland : Electronic Text.  Retrieved from http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/History.NichoAnnal
A first-hand witness account written by a Vermont teacher visiting Ireland during the period of the Famine.

Johnson, W.  The Ireland Story: The Great Famine.  Retrieved from http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/famine/index.htm
A long form, well researched article on the Famine.

Databases

Databases may be accessed using the library's desktop computers and from elsewhere via the site using your library card number or an ID and password. For additional assistance with these databases, please visit with the reference librarian.

Encyclopedia Britannica Online (http://library.eb.com/) Provides access to the records of the Encyclopeida Britannica, one of the most respected reference works.

Search "Irish Potato Famine", "Late Blight" (disease caused by water mold phytophthora infestans), "Oomycota" (phytophthora infestans belongs to this group of fungi) as separate searches to locate results.

Gale Student Resources In Context (http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic)

Provides a premium selection of reference material, more than 1,100 full-text periodicals and newspapers, primary sources, creative works, and multimedia, including hours of video and audio clips and podcasts.

Search "Irish Potato Famine", "Irish Famines", "Late Blight" as separate searches to locate results.

Periodicals

History Ireland. Dublin: History Ireland.  ISSN 0791-8224
Bi-monthly popular illustrated magazine about Irish history. In depth feature articles based on new research by Ireland's leading historians.

Irish Historical Studies. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co.  ISSN 0021-1214.
Joint journal of the Irish Historical Society and the Ulster Society for Irish Historical Studies. Scholarship and reviews of current publications related to Irish History.

Irish Economic and Social History:  Journal of the Economic and Social History Society of Ireland. Dublin: The Society.  ISSN 0332-4893
Comprises articles and shorter notes on all aspects of Irish economic and social history from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Web Resources

Irish History Online
(Date accessed: Friday, October 17, 2014)
http://iho.ie/index.php

Irish History Online is, according to its website “an authoritative listing (in progress) of what has been written about Irish history from earliest times to the present. It lists writings on Irish history published since the 1930s, with selected material published in earlier decades. It currently contains over 87,000 bibliographic records (October 2014).”

The National Archives of Ireland
(Date accessed: Friday, October 17, 2014)
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/
Contains volumes of primary source documentation as well as articles on Irish history and society.  An article on sources in the National Archives for researching the Famine can be found here:  http://www.nationalarchives.ie/topics/famine/famine.html

Phytophthora infestans: Culprit of the Irish Potato Famine
(Date accessed: Friday, October 17, 2014)
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/benrud_jaco/index.htm
A more scientific overview of the Potato Blight, the disease that ravaged the potato crop of Ireland and was a major contributor to the Famine.

Organizations

Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum
(Date accessed: Friday, October 17, 2014)
http://ighm.nfshost.com/

Affiliated with Quinnipiac University and located in Hamden, CT, this website provides a great overview of the history of the topic as well as current collections and exhibitions that the museum has curated.