Disturbed Podcast Narrator

Their manual farming could be performed faster and cheaper by machines. The land the farmers rent would be more lucrative growing food for trade. So landlords with an eye for profit want to evict their tenant farmers.

Their manual farming could be performed faster and cheaper by machines. The land the farmers rent would be more lucrative growing food for trade. So landlords with an eye for profit want to evict their tenant farmers.

In a situation with a British occupation dressed up as a mutually beneficial union, a declining quality of life for an average Irishman, and now a threat of eviction from arguably stolen Irish land, you can imagine it creates some tension. Then things get worse.

In a situation with a British occupation dressed up as a mutually beneficial union, a declining quality of life for an average Irishman, and now a threat of eviction from arguably stolen Irish land, you can imagine it creates some tension. Then things get worse.

In a situation with a British occupation dressed up as a mutually beneficial union, a declining quality of life for an average Irishman, and now a threat of eviction from arguably stolen Irish land, you can imagine it creates some tension. Then things get worse.

in the summer of 1845 all of western europe sustains heavy rains irish farmers are worried wet summers are never good for their crops their fears are confirmed when they wake up in the morning to a heavy rotten stink out in the field their nearly mature potato plants have white spots on their leaves Within a day, the spots are brown and rotten looking.

in the summer of 1845 all of western europe sustains heavy rains irish farmers are worried wet summers are never good for their crops their fears are confirmed when they wake up in the morning to a heavy rotten stink out in the field their nearly mature potato plants have white spots on their leaves Within a day, the spots are brown and rotten looking.

in the summer of 1845 all of western europe sustains heavy rains irish farmers are worried wet summers are never good for their crops their fears are confirmed when they wake up in the morning to a heavy rotten stink out in the field their nearly mature potato plants have white spots on their leaves Within a day, the spots are brown and rotten looking.

By the third day, the entire stalks are black and drooping. By then, the precious edible root of the plant is dead. Sometimes the potato's growth would be stunted and it comes out of the ground the size of a walnut. Full-sized potatoes have a slimy film and patches of rotten flesh. Inside, it's full of rancid muck.

By the third day, the entire stalks are black and drooping. By then, the precious edible root of the plant is dead. Sometimes the potato's growth would be stunted and it comes out of the ground the size of a walnut. Full-sized potatoes have a slimy film and patches of rotten flesh. Inside, it's full of rancid muck.

By the third day, the entire stalks are black and drooping. By then, the precious edible root of the plant is dead. Sometimes the potato's growth would be stunted and it comes out of the ground the size of a walnut. Full-sized potatoes have a slimy film and patches of rotten flesh. Inside, it's full of rancid muck.

Once just one plant shows sign of the deadly mold, Phytophthora infestans, there's no chance of saving any of the others. Families work into the night until they can't see the plants in front of them, trimming off the diseased parts of the plants. Even potatoes that come out healthy can go bad in storage. Entire fields for miles are blackened. The rotten stench is inescapable.

Once just one plant shows sign of the deadly mold, Phytophthora infestans, there's no chance of saving any of the others. Families work into the night until they can't see the plants in front of them, trimming off the diseased parts of the plants. Even potatoes that come out healthy can go bad in storage. Entire fields for miles are blackened. The rotten stench is inescapable.

Once just one plant shows sign of the deadly mold, Phytophthora infestans, there's no chance of saving any of the others. Families work into the night until they can't see the plants in front of them, trimming off the diseased parts of the plants. Even potatoes that come out healthy can go bad in storage. Entire fields for miles are blackened. The rotten stench is inescapable.

Some farmers cry as they pull diseased potatoes from the ground. Others sprinkle holy water over their crops or bury them with religious talismans, hoping for divine protection. By late February 1846, areas most affected by the blight enter a state of chaos driven by desperate, hungry farmers and their families. Thieves forage in strangers' fields. People drink blood from live farm animals.

Some farmers cry as they pull diseased potatoes from the ground. Others sprinkle holy water over their crops or bury them with religious talismans, hoping for divine protection. By late February 1846, areas most affected by the blight enter a state of chaos driven by desperate, hungry farmers and their families. Thieves forage in strangers' fields. People drink blood from live farm animals.

Some farmers cry as they pull diseased potatoes from the ground. Others sprinkle holy water over their crops or bury them with religious talismans, hoping for divine protection. By late February 1846, areas most affected by the blight enter a state of chaos driven by desperate, hungry farmers and their families. Thieves forage in strangers' fields. People drink blood from live farm animals.

They put seaweed and grass into their kettles. Parents worry if their sleeping children will ever wake. Peasants sell absolutely everything, the clothes off their back, in order to buy just a little food. But not all hope is lost. Not yet. No more than one third of Ireland's potato crop is affected.

They put seaweed and grass into their kettles. Parents worry if their sleeping children will ever wake. Peasants sell absolutely everything, the clothes off their back, in order to buy just a little food. But not all hope is lost. Not yet. No more than one third of Ireland's potato crop is affected.

They put seaweed and grass into their kettles. Parents worry if their sleeping children will ever wake. Peasants sell absolutely everything, the clothes off their back, in order to buy just a little food. But not all hope is lost. Not yet. No more than one third of Ireland's potato crop is affected.