Like many Americans of my generation, I grew up with a number of Irish families with names like Kelly, O’Shea, O’Donovan, and Murray. Our Parish priests were Father Cavanaugh and Father O’Malley. Sure, our Church was full of second and third generation Irish immigrants.
My Great-grandparents met on the Ship that brought them from Ireland to New York in the 1880’s. They were not part of the Great Migration of Irish that saw so many Irish fleeing starvation a few years earlier. The estimate is that one-quarter of the population of Ireland, or2.1 million Irish, left between 1845-1852, and 95% went to America. 70% found homes in northern American states and cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago.i
The Irish of the 1800’s were dependent on the potato crop as their staple diet. Potatoes are not native to Ireland or even northern Europe. Potatoes are native to the Peruvian Andes. They were unknown in Europe until the end of the 16th Century.
In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh (the famous English explorer who was granted permission from Queen Elizabeth I to explore Virginia) planted potatoes on his estate in Ireland. His chefs did not know how to cook the strange looking tubers and they included the stems and leaves, which are poisonous, and caused everyone who ate the dish to get sick. France went so far as to ban potatoes for a time, blaming them for causing leprosy.
It took another 150 years for potatoes to become acceptable food in Europe. Potatoes are much easier and less labor intensive as a starch and carbohydrate crop than wheat. Wheat must be turned into bread or noodles to be eatable. Potatoes are ready to cook, or even eat raw, right from the ground. A family could raise enough potatoes on an acre of land to feed themselves for a year.
The “blight” that caused the Great Famine in Ireland was a fungus that originated in Mexico, and was carried to Ireland by ship. Shortly after the potatoes were picked they morphed into a black soggy goo. Irish Catholics were forbidden to own land, and were itinerant farmers on English-owned estates. They had no other food, so families starved.ii
Despite the 36 grams of carbs in a medium sized potato, they are surprisingly nutritious. Potatoes have Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Niacin and many minerals. They have 3 grams of fiber, and many antioxidants. The calories depend on how the potatoes are cooked, but average is 161 calories, if no additional fat is added in cooking.
Of course, potatoes are extremely versatile, and often delicious!
Should you eat potatoes? If you are on a Paleo or Keto regimen, potatoes would be precluded. French Fries, as fried foods, are obviously not the healthiest choice, particulary if fried in vegetable or seed oils. I once ate potato chips fried fresh in Spanish olive oil on the beach in Malaga. It was such a treat that I have never been able to eat a commercial potato chip since.
I do love potatoes in other dishes, and I will indulge on occasion, with no guilt, knowing that they are pretty healthy. Since they aren’t stripped of their nutrients like wheat is, potatoes may be a good choice if you decide to enjoy some carbs.
However, there is a great lesson from the Potato Famine about relying on single foods instead of a diverse and varied diet. Don’t count French Fries if you are trying to eat your five or more servings of vegetables and fruits a day!
Ireland today has some of the riches grassland in the world, and their dairy products are sublime. The country is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The greens of Ireland seem unique to that land and like no other place on Earth.
If you would like a relaxing peek at Ireland, here is a video to give you a taste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEZ43nPixEo
Whether you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or not, I wish you the Luck of the Irish!
ihttps://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/great-famine-emigration-ireland
iihttps://www.sarahwoodbury.com/how-did-the-potato-get-to-ireland/