Today's current population of Ireland is over 6 million. Around the world, it's estimated that 50-80 million more people have Irish ancestry. That is a lot of Irish! So why have more people left their homeland than stayed?

Until 1800, Ireland was often caught in land feuds, and the constant instability did not make Ireland a very safe place to live, causing many to journey elsewhere. In 1801 Ireland became a part of the new United Kingdom, and many Britain's didn't want to see the Irish (Catholics) rise up again their Protestant rulers. So the Irish were forced to deal with strict laws and harsh punishments. They were stripped of titles, land, rights and nearly all exports were halted. This led to a massive population of poor who relied on their government for support. Between 1800 and 1850 a few million people emigrated elsewhere, many so poor they couldn't travel farther than England. Those with money could flee to new countries; well over a million came to Canada and the new United States.

Back home in Ireland the main source of food had become potatoes, which were cheap to grow, versatile to cook and left full stomachs. Most poor Irish lived off of three meals of boiled potatoes daily. A working man might eat up to 14 lbs. per day! This changed in the fall of 1845, after a fungus arrived from North America on returning cargo ships. The fungus ate the potato crops faster than anyone had seen before. The blight remained for a decade, effectively destroying the major food source for millions of people and became what's known today as the Great Potato Famine. The government's failure to effectively handle the problems helped contribute to the death of app. a million people through starvation and disease. Nearly two million people fled the country, settling onto nearly every continent on the planet.

The government remained in upheaval for another century, and so emigration continued- largely by young families hoping for better lives. Yet those leaving held onto a strong love for the island and their family traditions. This loyalty to Ireland has remained, even generations later by millions who have never once seen Ireland themselves.

Many of us, the Irish Diaspora, remain connected to our ancestors and their homeland, and love learning and celebrating everything it (especially on St. Patrick's Day). It's our dedication to our Irish heritage that continues to influence our world.