HOPE -During the famine of 1879 the Irish people needed hope.

This docudrama tells the story from the Irish Penal times up to the Knock Apparition in which Our Lady, St Joseph and St john appeared to 20 witnesses in Knock, Co Mayo. During this time there was a second famine. 40 years after the Great Famine.

The Irish Famine, also known as the Great Famine or the Potato Famine, was a devastating period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland during the mid-19th century. It is one of the most tragic events in Irish history and had profound and lasting effects on the country.

The primary cause of the Irish Famine was the widespread failure of the potato crop, which was the staple food for the majority of the Irish population. The Famine is usually associated with the potato blight, a disease caused by a fungus (Phytophthora infestans) that rapidly destroyed potato plants, leading to severe food shortages. This blight first appeared in Ireland in 1845 and continued to devastate potato crops for several years.

The Irish population was heavily dependent on potatoes as a source of food, especially the rural and impoverished communities. When the potato crop failed, the consequences were catastrophic. Millions of people faced famine, and the effects were exacerbated by the British government's inadequate response and policies.

The British government, which controlled Ireland at the time, implemented policies that worsened the impact of the Famine. Landlords continued to export food from Ireland while people were starving, and relief efforts were often insufficient and poorly organized. Additionally, the British government's reliance on laissez-faire economic principles meant that they were hesitant to intervene in the market to provide aid.

As a result, approximately one million people died from starvation and related diseases during the Irish Famine, and another million emigrated from Ireland in search of a better life, primarily to the United States and Canada. The population of Ireland decreased significantly during this period, and the country faced profound social and economic changes.

The Irish Famine had long-lasting effects on Irish society and culture. It fueled anti-British sentiment and nationalist movements. It also had a significant impact on Irish immigration patterns, leading to Irish diaspora communities in various parts of the world. The memory of the Famine remains an important part of Irish history and identity.