Ireland in the early 1800s was made up of many small farms. Most of the lands were rented to tenants by landlords. The landlords owned a large amount of land but often they did not live on their property. Some families, who had no land themselves, made their living by doing some small amounts of work as labourers. In the early nineteenth century, many Irish families depended almost totally on the potato to feed themselves and their families. Potatoes would grow even on very poor soil and they were very nutritious. However, sometimes the potato crop failed.
Gallery
Lynch's Castle, Galway in the 1800s
A drawing of Lynch's Castle from the 1800s. It was home to the Lynch family, one of the Tribes of Galway. This building still stands today and is used as a bank.
Lynch's Castle, Galway in the 1800s -
Cork Quays, 1800s
An illustration of a busy quayside scene in Cork in the 1800s. It is taken from Neville Bath's Grand Jury Map of Cork from 1811.
© Cork City Libraries.Cork Quays, 1800s - © Cork City Libraries.
Bridge in Kilkenny, Early 1800s
An illustration of a bridge in Kilkenny in the early 1800s, taken from William Tighe's statistical survey of Kilkenny, published in 1802. This is a wooden bridge with a drawbridge located on the far right.
Bridge in Kilkenny, Early 1800s -