The British Tourist's Pocket Companion
In 1600, Ireland's population was about 1 million; in 1700 it was about 2 million; and in 1841 (before ‘The Great Hunger' of 1845) it had reached just over 8 million. Arthur Young (1741-1820), the agricultural reformer, travelled widely in Ireland between 1776 and 1779. His Tour in Ireland, first published in 1780, remains an excellent sourcebook for that period. Young was honest about what he observed. He criticized the practice of subletting land to middlemen, remarked on the extent of poverty, and was impressed with Irish commercial activities. This colourful map of Ireland is from a later reprint of his travels.