Did the Famine Drive Irish People Insane? The Story of the Famine Irish in Britain

Did the experiences of the Famine drive Irish people insane?

In this episode I look at the story of the famine survivor John Thompson who ended up in the Rainhill asylum in Lancashire in the 1860s. In this Victorian institution (which treated mental illnesses) he would find himself surrounded by other Irish people.

This podcast looks asks why Irish peopLe found themselves in British asylums in disproportionate numbers in the 1850s and 1860s. The answers reveal some harrowing details about the difficult lives the Famine Irish in Britain faced.