(image by Jonjobaker)

Ireland is only mentioned three times within the book (Gaskell). The first time was on page 146 and the context was Mr. Thornton was talking about getting hired hands from Ireland to replace the workers that were on strike at the time (Gaskell). This event caused a cascade of events that led to an impromptu strike against the wishes of the Worker's Union (Gaskell).

During 1846 to about 1851, the potato famine took place. At this time about 60% of the nation's food supply was potatoes, but a blight had come on and destroyed most of their potato crops (Donnelly). This cascaded into a famine, they could not replenish their food, because it was so massive, they inported more grain and then they were exporting because of their need of food (Donnelly). They also could not replace their food because over this time period, the blight kept happening to their potatoes (Donnelly).  BBC says that approximately a million people died of starvation and disease (Donnelly). They also said that two million Irish people emigrated to find food and work (Donnelly). British people would have known of the influx of Irish people within their cities and villages. These people working for any kind of work, as long as they were being paid. The book showed how angry the strikers were that Mr. Thornton had hired hands from Ireland to replace them (Gaskell).

Mr. Thornton's hired Irish hands, were probably in the midst of famine at the time, and would be trying to get any work they could get their hands on. It makes sense how easily Mr. Thornton was able to get hired hands so quickly. Which also shows why the strikers weren't angry at the Irish people themselves, but angry at Mr.Thornton for replacing them, because they wouldn't back down (Gaskell). 

Baker, Jonjo. “Glendalough Upper Lake Sunny Day.” Wikimedia, 15 Mar. 2020, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glendalough_Upper_Lake_Sunny_Day.... Accessed 21 Oct. 2021.

Donnelly, Jim. “History - British History in Depth: The Irish Famine.” BBC, BBC, 17 Feb. 2011, https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml.

Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn, and Angus Easson. North and South. Oxford University Press, 2008.