What will Ireland do in the face of another potato famine?

Question

Looks like there will be another famine coming. What will you do?

Answer 1

There never was a 'famine',  there was a potato blight, and as potatoes made up a large proportion of the working class diet, that's why people were starving.  However, at the same time, Ireland was producing tons of wheat, grain, oats and raising thousands of cattle, sheep etc which were all being shipped to feed the British troops fighting on the continent.  The landowners - most English and Scottish landlords - had no shortage of food and were obviously making huge profits from the produce being sold to the troops.  

The same problem would never occur nowadays because of the diversity of crops about.  People don't just depend on potatoes any more. There are also many more international aid organisations, EEC subsidies, that starvation should never be a problem for any western country.  Even during WW2 there was never any starvation although there was rationing.  

Answer 2

The economic structure of Ireland has completely changed; therefore a potatoe crisis would never trigger off a general famine.

Answer 3

They don't just grow potatoes anymore and the world has changed since then!

Answer 4

Plant a few bombs paid for by americans.via an orphanage fund

Answer 5

Ireland has now one of the strongest economies in Europe.  It could import more of its food...and technology is so much better now that a potato famine could be better controlled with the fungicide metalaxyl.  Growing conditions can be better controlled with greenhouses and raised beds.  This isn't the 1840s anymore.

HOWEVER, there is also the tomato leaf curl virus that has been attacking our tomatoes for the past ten years, brought over from the Middle East and slowly spread across the southern states from Florida to Texas and now Arizona and California.  The tomato is this country's most lucrative crop.  Whole orchards across the country now have this virus and there still is no cure.

Which is another reason more people should start growing their own vegetables.  I have three potato plants I started last month from cuttings.  We'll have tasty spuds in three months.

Answer 6

They'll blame the Brits, for sure and begorrah.

Answer 7

import Idaho potatoes.

Answer 8

Eat pasta  

Answer 9

Ireland is full of eastern european Gypsies.  It is the beetroot and cabbage that is the real worry.

Answer 10

The famine was not caused purely by the potato blight itself.There was vast amounts of food in Ireland at the time but the British shipped it all out of the country and indeed when other nations wanted to help the starving Irish they actually went out of their way to stop the aid.More people died per head of population than in all the modern day famines put together and even to this day the numbers have not reached pre-famine levels.It is often referred to as the Irish Holocaust. So I hope Doreen is proud of herself with her childish remark.

What would we do now?Well we're so well off now I dare say we'd still eat out several times a week.

Answer 11

Sasanach talk... have'nt you heard. the the tykes were sent packing

..the planters were forced to feckoff

Answer 12

Just stick with my Guinness

Answer 13

I imagine they will ask Prince Charles for his advice. After all, he is very good at talking to plants and is presently talking a fine brand of manure to the British Press.