There is a great song by The Wolfetones about "The Great Hunger" which is a good singers song.
At the time of the famine in Ireland there was a widespread famine in England which is not usually publicised. Public relief programmes stopped a lot of the deaths but it was a close run thing in many areas.
My Irish family raise the fare to South Africa for one member so that the family name would survive even if all those remaining in Ireland died.
A tough time I'm glad I never had to face.