
Why Was Life Expectancy So Low in Ireland Until 1900?
About this episode
Life expectancy in Ireland has doubled over the past 200 years, but why was it so low for so long? In this podcast, I delve into the factors that kept life expectancy down in Ireland's history and what those numbers truly mean. Did people really only live to 40 in the past? During the Great Hunger, life expectancy plummeted to just 20 years—what does this reveal about society at the time? Join me as I explore these questions and discuss what I believe to be one of humanity's greatest achievements: the remarkable doubling of life expectancy in recent times.
Support the show at https://patreon.com/irishpodcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Get every episode summarized
Each time Irish History Podcast publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Irish History Podcast

The Golden Age of Irish Smuggling
Irish History Podcast

Why Did Nazi Germany Bomb an Irish Village in 1940?
Irish History Podcast

The Sinking of the Lusitania
Irish History Podcast

Ireland’s Shipwrecks: History from the Depths
Irish History Podcast