What was the population of ireland at its peak?
It is believed that the peak poplulation of Ireland was reached about 1845. Conventional figures bandied about are that the population was about 8million but it could have been 9, 10 or even 12million that year. Apparently the censuses of 1841 and 1851 were the only figures available. Lazy and incompentent emumerators could have missed 20% of the real population in 1841. In 1847 ’48 and ’49 the famine hit and ‘millions’ died. Nobody has even the slightest idea how many millions. Plus there was massive emigration by every available boat to any available destination for those who could raise the fare. The Americans are only now releasing data which suggests a lot of numbers got lost. Also there was massive mortality on many ‘coffin’ ships.
