Was the potato famine of 1845 - 1852 a turning point for the Irish economy?

Industry, agriculture and the country's demographic were the key components of the Irish economy, meaning these are the three areas that must be examined in order to answer this question. Industry and agriculture are directly linked to the economy because trade, and subsequently GDP, come from the products created through these industries. Demographic is also crucial to this because the demographic of a population determines the workforce available and the demand for goods. The other part of this question that must be defined is what is meant by a turning point. A turning point is a change in trajectory which is why I would argue that famine was a turning point for the Irish economy, particularly in relation to demographic and agriculture.

The population of Ireland was heavily dependent on the potato as it was a high yield crop that could be grown on the small plots of land most farmers owned meaning that when the blight impacted the crop, the results were disastrous. Over one million people were killed and one and a half million emigrated which is a turning point in the demographic of Ireland as previously there had been a population growth of 13.3% per year between 1800 and 1830. It has been argued that there was an ongoing trend of slowing population growth which would inevitably have led to a decline in population as, between 1831 and 1841 there was only a 5% growth in the Irish population, however, this was still growth meaning that it was not a turning point and this growth occurred despite the impact the Napoleonic wars had on the grain trade. This means that it may have slowed due to the grain crisis but it did not decline as it did with the famine. The famine was a turning point for the demographic of Ireland and therefore the economy as it meant emigration became a huge part of life that never ceased and caused the population to decline meaning demand for goods and workforce decreased and meant the government had to provide aid. Agriculture was also hugely impacted by the famine both in ownership of land and types of farming the Irish engaged in. Between 1845 and 1851 there was a decrease of 213,000 in the number of 1 to 15 acre plots, which were the most common plots held, and an increase of 14,000 in plots over 15 acres. This is due to peasant deaths and subsequently cheap land that richer land owners could buy up and is clearly a turning point for the Irish economy. It changed land ownership and subsequently the way in which plots of land could be farmed. There was also large shift from tillage to pastoral farming as a result of the famine with the number of sheep being farmed increasing from 1,876,000 in 1850 to 4,337,000 in 1870. This was due to fear of another blight and a rise in sales prices for livestock. It has been argued that this shift was once again due to the end of the Napoleonic wars and subsequently the influx of grain into the market and the increased competition but this would not have caused such a dramatic change, nor would it have caused change in land ownership. Therefore, it is clear that the famine was a turning point for agriculture and the economy of Ireland. Industry however was far less impacted by the famine than would be expected considering the impact it had on the population and agriculture. Whilst there was a decrease in the workforce available, rural to urban migration ensured that there were enough workers and meant that there was more work available. This migration had also been going on for many years before the famine as there were more work opportunities in cities meaning that the famine exacerbated this but that it was not a turning point. However, the decreased population meant that industries focused on home markets declined whilst international industries managed expand. Some may argue this was a turning point but the industries themselves remained the same with brewing and distilling being the main industries. The turning point was not on types of industry but the changes in industry caused by the famine and what that meant for the economy of the north and south of Ireland. Before the famine there was little discrepancy between the economies however, as the north was far less impacted by the famine, it industrialised faster and had more international industry such as heavy ship building. This meant that there was far more work in the north and that the economy was able to thrive whereas in the south it did not develop at the same rate. This meant that Ireland no longer developed together and that there was a divide between the north and south.