ThecatastropheoftheGreatIrishFamineof1845-51isamajorwatershedinIrishhistory,withadecisiveimpactonmanyaspectsofIrishdemographic,economic,socialandpoliticalhistory.ItplayedacrucialroleinshapingthememoryandidentityoftheIrishdiaspora,notablyinnorthAmericaandBritain.ItisalsocreditedwitheffectingenduringchangesinIrishculturallife.PerhapsthemostprofoundculturalchangeinmodernIrishhistoryhasbeenthereplacementofIrishbyEnglishasthemainvernacularofthegeneralpopulationinthecenturiessincetheconquestofIrelandinthesixteenthcentury.Itisacomplexstory,butthemassiveimpactoftheFamine(mortalityandemigration)onthelaterphaseofthislanguagechangedemandspreciseanalysis.Basedontheauthor’sownworkandtakingaccountofrecentstudiesofthelanguagechange,thisFolioexaminescloselyexplanationsandinterpretationsofthischangeofvernacular--overthelongtermandinitsnineteenth-centurysetting--withafirmfocusontheroleoftheGreatFamineinthisepisodeoffundamentalculturaltransformation.
