How the Potato Got to Ireland

The potato was first domesticated in Peru, and it was a staple for the Inca Indians. But the Indian nations were great traders, and the potato gradually worked its way along trade routes to get to the

native populations of what is now North Carolina (first known as Virginia). They were there as the Roanoke voyages came. When the expeditions took a sample back to England, Sir Walter Raleigh (who had sponsored the voyage), presented them to Queen Elizabeth. She ordered them sent to her estate in Ireland to see if they would grow there, and grow there they did. In fact, they eventually became known as the Irish potato. Like the Inca, the Irish began to depend on them. When the potato blight hit in the 1800's and a great famine resulted, it encouraged immigration. Many Americans, especially in the South, have Scotch-Irish ancestry.

In addition, Spanish explorers may have also taken potatoes to Spain from South America around the same time period. Sir Francis Drake may have been another source as he returned from circumnavigating the globe.

When I visited Peru several years ago, I realized how many varieties of potatoes there are. Many sources say there are nearly 4,000 kinds. The markets of Peru certainly displayed many different types, while I could probably count the varieties I was familiar with in the United States on my fingers.

Much like corn, the potato is adaptable to many conditions and

climates. There are records of them even being used raw to feed

livestock through the winter in regions where crops could be a problem, like the Appalachians in the early years of settlement. Potatoes were also easy to store and normally kept over the winter months. They became an important food source in many cultures.

_________________________________________