An ITV schools programme.
Using the methods of reenactment, time markers, maps and by revisiting current day locations, presenter Oliver McGilloway tells the story of the Great Famine in Ireland.
A continuation of the previous episode, we move on from the time of the tenant farmer and the boom in population, to examine the catastrophic consequences of overworking the land.
McGilloway tells the viewer of the Irish diaspora - emigration beginning on a large scale in the 18th Century, with many Irish going to America in hopes of finding a new life. The Ulster American Folk Park in County Tyrone allows visitors to experience something of these journeys, with exhibits posing questions such as; 'Why did they leave? Where did they go? and who exactly left?' What is evident, is that the Irish people who settled in America made an impression, with several descendants becoming Presidents.
The next significant tranche of the population to emigrate did not leave with such high hopes. The Great Famine began in Ireland in 1845 and hit people particularly hard due to the failed potato crop - potatoes being a food staple which the majority of the population survived on. Those who left Ireland did so in desperation, emigration a means of survival, the irony beinf that so many died during the tranatlantic crossing.