The Potato Famine occurred during 1845-47, when 75 per cent of the potato crop was ruined by blight. Approximately four million Irish were totally dependent on the potato. During this period hundreds of thousands died and in the years immediately thereafter countless more succumbed, weakened by starvation and unable to resist fevers and epidemics. In total, it is thought that more than one million perished.

The starving left the countryside to seek refuge and food in the major towns, where ground meal was distributed. People from the rural areas had to walk many miles to obtain their ration. As early as 1836 it was reported that almost 2.5 million people were in such poverty that they needed some form of welfare support and, whilst Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, they did not enjoy the kind of welfare relief, a system that had existed in England since the 16th century. Indeed, many with political influence tried to distance London from the "Irish problem". Moreover, it would appear that the Protestant English thought themselves vastly superior to those they considered to be their Catholic subordinates and had an attitude which blamed the character of the Irish for their parlous situation rather than the greedy, unscrupulous absentee landlords.

It also has to be noted that the Munster region (& Connaught region) was badly hit by the potato famine. The Munster region being recognised as the region with the highest concentration of the Colbert surname.

By Andrew Wood edited by Jen L Colbert.

Extracted from Practical Family History magazine publication September 2003 Number: 69 Page 19.