Potato

When the potato arrived in Ireland it seemed like a godsend, easily grown and nutritious enough to sustain whole families on little else. The Irish climate suited it well and before long it was the staple food of almost the entire population.

A better fed Irish population began to grow rapidly, increasing from less than 1 million in 1580 to over 8 million by 1840.

Many Irish soups are based on potatoes, this one combines them with leeks to make a very satisfying and tasty dish.

A big mug of this kind of hearty soup is particularly welcome after a day working, or walking, outdoors in an Irish winter, but the flavour is good enough that you can also add a few garnishes and serve it at dinner for friends too.

The most traditional of Irish dishes, and a very simple one, made with potato, cabbage and generous amounts of creamy butter.

It doesn’t sound like much, but there is something special about colcannon, it’s the ultimate comfort food. It’s so special that there is even a song in its praise!

With a growing population locked in poverty and almost entirely dependent on the potato for sustenance, Ireland was by the mid 19th century something of a disaster waiting to happen.

Nobody however could have predicted the extent of the catastrophic famine that hit the people of Ireland when the potato crop repeatedly failed. It would change Ireland for centuries.