The Potato Famine vs. Hurricane Katrina

While I wrote the book, I thought of this. Moriarty thinks the British were happy to drive the Irish out and the evidence is sort of there.
Why sort of?

With both the Potato Famine and Hurricane Katrina, I don't think the powers that be "planned" the depopulation. With both situations, the powers that be may have been happy that the respective places were depopulated.

In the Potato Famine, Irish farming could be made more "productive." In New Orleans, the population changed.

Not sure myself what is true. I am just throwing it out there.

Is the Potato Famine the Dominating Theme for the Irish?

You will have to take the following from whence it comes. It was something I found in an obscure Irish Marxist journal (how many of us pay attention to Marxism)? :-) What caught my eye was the information about the Famine. The article claimed psychologically the Famine is the one thing that unites all Irishmen worldwide.

I'd have to agree the Famine more than say the Book of Kells. (How many Irish know what the Book of Kells are)? What about St. Patrick? Surely he is up there in the pantheon of Irish awareness.

I've been to Poland and stayed with colleagues and friends of my father. For Poles, there is no question what the most defining thing in their history. Pope John Paul. He outranks Copernicus.
Anyone following the news saw what it was like when the Pope died last year.

What is it for Ireland though? St. Patrick has influence obviously because of Christianity. I leave it to you the reader to determine how much influence the Famine has and how much did it change Irish culture.

Was the Potato Famine Genocide?

I've been reading and watched a VHS on Irish history about it. I don't think cold blooded deliberate genocide, (though Moriarty and many Irish would beg to differ). It was more misguided policies, but I can't help but think many in Her Majesty Government were relieved at fewer tenants to make the land work. Much like the Highland Clearances in Scotland. There, the lords wanted the lands to be sheep ranching and game preserves, which were much more profitable.

To feed so many people, farming in Ireland had become inefficient. No question, the government would not have said this in so many words, but they were relieved farming could be made more efficient with fewer people. One lord, Lord Madden actually paid the passage to Quebec for his tenants. It was cheaper for him to do that and use the land for other purposes.

The famine also changed much of the culture of this communal people. It forced people to not take care of their neighbors and become more self centered to survive. This is how I built my character where he gives the people working for him just enough. All they want is food, drink and a roof over their heads. It has happened in history. I will give you two examples.

In Haiti, under Papa Doc Duvalier. The Tonton Macoutes were his secret police. Most of them was poor peasant boys given a little more food and some power.

Romania right after the execution of Nicolae Ceaucescu. The miners who broke up student demonstrations. You can build a sort of Pretorian Guard this way.

I made my character such he plays on this. He realizes he is smarter than the others around him and uses this.

The famine certainly changed Ireland and the Irish. Was it Genocide? Again, it depends on the viewer.