How did the Great Famine change Ireland’s population between 1844 and 1851?

The Great Famine, which occurred between 1845 and 1849, caused a catastrophic demographic collapse in Ireland. Between 1844 and 1851, the country's population plummeted from approximately 8.4 million to 6.6 million.12

This significant decline was driven by two primary factors:

• Mortality: Approximately one million people died as a direct result of starvation or famine-related diseases, such as typhus.12
• Emigration: An estimated two million people eventually emigrated from the country to escape the crisis.12

The famine disproportionately affected agricultural laborers and smallholders, particularly in the western and southwestern regions of Ireland. The resulting demographic shift was permanent; due to continued emigration and lower birth rates, Ireland’s population remained in decline for decades, reaching barely half of its pre-famine levels by the 1920s.21