in no particular order, the main political events leading up to the famine were 1800 - political union with Britain 1829 catholic emancipation - votes for some catholics etc 1690 - battle of the boyne 1697> the penal laws which deprived catholics and to some extent presbyterians of civil rights - education, inheritance, suffrage, state employment etc the patoto famine is bad and it can kill you!!!!!!!!! =}