The British Relief Association and the Great Famine in Ireland

Abstract

The historiography of the Great Famine in Ireland has largely been concerned with the role played by the British Government in providing relief in the years after 1845. Less attention has been given to the involvement of private charity. Private relief, however, played a crucial role in saving lives throughout the Famine. Moreover, its interventions were often swift, practical, and less hampered by the bureaucratic restrictions that slowed down, and at times rendered ineffective, much government relief. While the contribution of the Society of Friends has been generally acknowledged in Famine historiography, the British Relief Association for the Relief of Distress in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland has received little scholarly attention. Nonetheless, the latter organization raised double the amount of money that was donated to the Quakers. This article will examine the origins, activities and impact of the British Relief Association.