A part of Irish history I want to know more about is the famine. Though it is occasionally mentioned, the details of the famine are not widely taught in history classes outside of Ireland. I want to learn the facts and fiction about common misconceptions. For example, the famine is often boiled down to a disease that killed potatoes, yet the other factors which made this event a tragedy are rarely mentioned. The long history of English oppression leading up to the famine is what exacerbated it. While in Ireland, I would like to visit several of the museums in Dublin that touch on this topic. I also want to learn more about the effects of the famine that Ireland sees today, such as the fact that the country has never returned to its pre-famine population levels and the close connections between Ireland and the countries where many immigrated to during the famine. I am very excited to learn more about Irish history while in Dublin.