That was one year - the famine lasted for 5
Those who were already ill whe they embarked had been left with no choice - the warehouses and workhouses had been closed - armed soldiers were set to guard over-full warehouses - there were reports of them firing on 'rioters' ie starving peasants demanding food.
The sick emigrants were left two alternatives - to die in the lanes or on board ship.
Maybe it wasn't 'human engineering' - maybe it was as Kinealy and Neilson said, it was callous indifference
Not convinced either way - but whatever - there's no evading the responsibility unless you ignore the fats and hide behind 'historians'
Jim Carroll