"Although the potato crop failed, the country was still producing and exporting more than enough grain crops to feed the population."

SEZ WHO? Too many conflicting stories, but the bulk of the evidence illustrates that more food was imported into Ireland than was ever exported from it during this period.

"Records show during the period Ireland was exporting approximately thirty to fifty shiploads per day of food produce"

WHAT RECORDS? Those that do exist can best be described as inadequate and inconclusive

"land acquisition"

WHAT LAND ACQUISITION? Who was it purchased by? Who was it purchased from? Where did the money come from? There was little to no money in Ireland as the landowners were already up to their ears in debt and everything they possessed was mortgaged to the hilt - That was why it was so important for them to be able to sell their crops, to get money so that taxes could be paid in order to fund relief work.

" the Great Famine today is viewed by a number of historical academics as a form of either direct or indirect genocide."

No evidence whatsoever to support that contention, according to Mokyr, Nielsen, O'Rourke, Kennedy, Foster, Ó Gráda and a host of others. Most of those who claim genocide all base their arguments on one book by John Mitchel written while he was in America in 1861. As he had left Ireland in 1848 and remained a prisoner in either Bermuda and Tasmania until 1853, then stayed in America until he wrote the book how exactly would it have been possible for him to study any records? Impossible if you ask me. Christine Kinealy is very selective when it comes to digging for information.

Most sensible statement that I have unearthed so far has been:

"It is no doubt premature to proclaim the end of the "revisionist/anti-revisionist" conflict on the Famine, though it remains doubtful whether it can serve any useful future purpose." - Canon John O'Rourke

The most sensible comment still remains that of mg stated in her post earlier on in the thread.

What little Irish blood I have in me came from Ireland during the Famine and settled in Glasgow where they prospered and thrived. The Famine stories coming from my Mother's side of the family comes from two different Famines the one in Ireland and the one that affected Scotland. Do I really care about either? No of course I don't, they are simply events that happened a long time ago, and neither have affected me in the slightest. Should I don sackcloth and ashes and run round apologising on behalf of anyone for those events or how they were handled? Nope, all water under the bridge, "all debts paid with the first turn of the screw" - Old sailors saying, and by the way Christmas, if it is sympathy that you are looking for you will find it located somewhere between Shit and Syphilis in the Dictionary.