‘Il y a des larmes dans leurs chiffres’: French Famine Relief for Ireland, 1847-84

This paper traces the reactions of the French Catholic Church to famines in Ireland between 1847 and 1884. Numerous appeals to charity for the Irish were issued by French bishops throughout the country, revealing strong awareness of difficulties in Ireland. Sermons marshalled numerous arguments to convince the faithful, be they members of the Parisian elite or humble peasants, that charity was urgent and necessary. Religious, political and historical reasons were given, with undeniable success. French relief aroused real gratitude in Ireland, as evidenced by the identification of the Irish with the French during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1