This book follows the format of other works in this series, with two small differences. The Great Irish Famine is a ‘big’ topic, a landmark in Irish and world history. Its causes are controversial, its consequences important wherever the ensuing Irish diaspora reached. The relevant literature is very large. And so my efforts at keeping the bibliography within bounds made the number of footnotes grow and grow. In addition, the Famine is a multidisciplinary subject, featuring research by economists, political scientists, demographers, and historians of diet and agriculture. I have tried to keep the amount of specialist jargon to a minimum, but some inevitably has crept in. In order to keep the account accessible, but without losing all the subtlety of specialized work, I have added a short glossary of technical terms.

I would like to thank the following for reading earlier drafts of this work, and for their criticisms and advice: Michael Anderson, Frank Barry, Leslie Clarkson, Louis Cullen, Fergus D'Arcy, David Dickson, David Fitzpatrick, Liam Kennedy, Michael Laffan, Joel Mokyr, Peter Solar, Brendan Walsh, Ron Weir, and Tony Wrigley. Remaining mistakes are mine alone.