• [object Object]@lemmy.ca
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    22 hours ago

    It can be hard to live in places where there’s little wood for heating, only a few crops for food that are subject to random blights, and an oppressive power next door stepping on your neck and trying to divide you from opportunity or independence.

    Ireland is a beautiful place with a harsh history.

    • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
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      10 hours ago

      only a few crops for food that are subject to random blights

      Not-so-fun-fact: Ireland always had plenty of crops. It’s just that the English stole them all and only let them keep the potatoes. The scarcity was manufactured, and the blight wouldn’t have been as devastating if the rest of the crops weren’t being extracted.

      The Ottomans tried sending food but the English rejected it because they thought it would make them look bad if a foreign government was helping and not them.

      there’s little wood for heating

      Plenty of sheep’s manure for that. Or peat.

      and an oppressive power next door stepping on your neck

      Got no argument there, but it does result in some kickass folk tunes.

      Ireland is a beautiful place with a harsh history.

      Yes, yes indeed.

    • djdarren@piefed.social
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      11 hours ago

      I don’t know how true it is, but my understanding is that Ireland used to be quite well off for forests. But the English happened to them, and bit by bit, we successfully deforested 98% of the island.