In this lecture, we will consider the work of the Quakers in relation to the Potato Famine during the years 1845-1848 with particular reference to County Cork.
There are a few preliminary notes to make. First, just who were the Quakers? In answer to this question, we'll investigate their origin and development in Bandon (as an important West Cork market town) during the last years of the seventeenth century and into the next century.
Second, we must sketch a picture of what this area of Ireland "looked like" during the years just before the Famine and attempt answers to the question: "Why was the Famine of 1846 so catastrophic?" The historical and geographical context has been described as "An explosion ready to happen." So we ask, briefly: why was this the case?
Third: a mention must be made of the social positioning of the Quakers around 1845. The intriguing question must be asked: "How did this [relatively small] group create such an impact?