In Conclusion
The Great Potato Famine is a well-known event in Irish history, as is Ireland's notorious mass emigration. The effects of the Famine on Ireland's demographic history are significant, since this event triggered a century of population decline and therefore served as a turning point in Ireland's unprecedented rates of population growth. It is inaccurate, however, to assume that Ireland's depopulation of the late 19th century was soley due to Famine related emigration. Post-Famine changes in demographic patterns such as the agricultural inheritance system, the friends and family effect, and marriage activity contributed to causing further emigration and to lower Ireland's fertility rate. High rates of emigration combined with declined fertility are therefore responsible for Ireland's dramatic depopultion of the 19th century.
Today, Ireland's population is approximately 6 million. The Emerald Isle's membership into the European Union in 2004 stimulated significant economic growth, which has caused an influx of migrants, most notably from Central European countries such as Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. This recent immigration contrasts dramatically with Ireland's demographic situation of nearly a century ago. Nevertheless, Ireland's historic depopulation is an imporant aspect of its past and is a topic that continues to be explored by historians and ecnomists alike.
