The Lender Family Special Collection is a repository of primary and secondary resources documenting the devastating 19th century Irish tragedy known as An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger). The collection was established in 1997 by Quinnipiac University President John Lahey, and funding was made possible through the generous support of alumnus Murray Lender and his brother Marvin Lender. The collection comprises over 750 books, 4000 British Parliamentary Papers, The Lady Sligo Family Letters, and a number of films about the famine.
The collection is housed in the The Lender Family Special Collection Room, which was designed by Centerbrook Architects to evoke the appearance of the immigrant hold of a 19th century passenger ship. In addition to being the repository for the collection, the room is also utilized as a space to display special exhibits about The Great Hunger and other events in Irish History.
Highlights from the collection include -
Accessing Materials from The Lender Special Collection - Guidelines for Researchers
The British Parliamentary Papers on Ireland are a selection of 4000 official publications relating to various aspects of Irish affairs during the period of Union, including bills, reports, commissions of inquiry, and census reports. The documents are a rich source for the social history of Ireland, as well as statistics relating to population, emigration, famine relief, agriculture, crime, poverty, etc.
The papers are currently in the process of being organized, indexed, and selectively scanned. Researchers interested in accessing the collection should contact the library via e-mail.
Digital copies of the papers are also available through the University of Southampton database: The Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland
Ireland's Great Famine or An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger), as it is more commonly referred to today, ranks among the worst tragedies in the sweep of human history. Between 1845 and 1852, approximately 1.5 million Irish men, women and children died of starvation or related diseases.
By 1855, more than two million more had fled Ireland to avoid a similar fate. This decimation of her population makes Ireland's Great Hunger both the worst chapter in the country's history, and arguably, the single worst catastrophe in 19th century Europe.