A Family History Of... The Irish Famine | Part 1 - Before the Hunger

A boy at the edge of famine-era Ireland. A world about to break. Archibald MacKenzie is 11 years old in Coolderrihy, County Cork, when the world he knows suddenly shifts. Joined by Irish genealogy expert Fiona Fitzsimons, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin traces the records that reveal what life looked like for a boy growing up in a land already restless with tension. How did a childhood shaped by loss prepare him for the catastrophe still to come? From a childhood shaped by rural tensions in pre‑Famine Cork to the fear and violence of a local riot, and finally the ironworks of industrial Wales. Follow the story of Archibald MacKenzie, a man pushed again and again to the brink. Across three episodes, host and genealogist Jen Baldwin, with Irish genealogy expert Fiona Fitzsimons, traces a family’s struggle through hunger, imprisonment, migration and reinvention. Together, they uncover how catastrophe reshaped not only Archibald's life, but the generations that followed. About A Family History Of... A Family History Of… takes you inside ordinary lives at extraordinary moments. Join host Jen Baldwin, alongside special guests, to uncover hidden stories from the archives, revealing the human side of history. Each month, follow one family’s story across several gripping episodes, and experience history through the eyes of those who lived it. Delve into more episodes:    • A Family History Of...   Explore more over on Findmypast: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/a-family... Follow us on social media for more A Family History Of... content:   / afamilyhistoryof   Host and Researcher: Jen Baldwin Guest: Fiona Fitzsimons Editor: CM87Edits Script Editors: Niall Cullen, Madeleine Gilbert, Daisy Goddard, and Ellie Ayton Producers: Madeleine Gilbert, Ellie Ayton, and James Plumb Designer: Michael McCosh Executive Producers: Helen Kaye and Steve James #history #historypodcast #podcast #familyhistory