The potato in Irish cuisine and culture

This article will discuss the introduction of the potato from its South American origin into Irish cuisine and culture. The authors will outline the stages of development from introduction to acceptance as a winter vegetable, to widespread acceptance, moving on to overdependence and leading to subsequent famine. The article will discuss the varieties of potatoes used, the methods of production at different levels of society, and a number of quintessentially Irish potato dishes including boxty, champ, and colcannon, which will be compared with similar potato dishes in other cultures. Also, this article will combine secondary sources with primary sources including oral histories and data from the Irish Folklore Commission.