A Lost Past

Memories from a lost past haunt this abandoned homestead in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Houses like this are scattered all over Ireland due to the incredible historical population collapse. In 1841 the population of the area now covering the Republic of Ireland was over 6.5 million however the Great Famine (Gorta Mór) of 1845 to 1852 or Irish Potato Famine as it is known outside of Ireland, directly caused the deaths of over one million people and a further million more emigrating from Ireland.

By 1871 the population had dropped by over a third to four million, and by 1926 the subsequent economic, social, and political turmoil had further reduced the population down to three million, less than half of the 1841 population. Slowly nature takes back what was once lost to 'progress'.

Rob Downie
Love Life, Love Photography

_{All images in this post were taken by and remain the Copyright of Robert Downie - http://www.robertdowniephotography.com}