Context

Question 1

Potato Famine

Answer 1

1842-52
Harvests failed due to blight
Caused mass emigration to America

Question 2

Emigration

Answer 2

Irish were emigrating to America to escape poverty and famine.
Maire wants to emigrate and leave Ireland, but has no money.

Question 3

Ordnance Survey

Answer 3

An official map made by the Royal Engineers
1825-41
Destroyed Gaelic culture and language
Anglicised place names
Local rebellion inspired by the French Revolution

Question 4

Education

• Hedge schools
• National schools

Answer 4

Hedge schools were a response to the ban on catholic schools - taught basic Irish and maths.
National schools were state funded, ending hedge schools and spoken Irish -taught English.

Question 5

Irish Political Conflict

Answer 5

Friel was an Irish playwright, so saw the British-Irish conflict 1970-80.
Conflict between Northern and Southern Ireland.

Question 6

Setting of Translations

Answer 6

1833: potato famine, emigration, anglicisation and British-Irish conflict.
Baile Beag: fictional town with a close-knit community. One of the first to be mapped.
Hedge school: shows the poverty and loss of culture/tradition.