The Night of the Big Wind by Peter Carr (PT275)

Published 1994: Revised Edition / Softcover / Very Good Condition / Illustrated throughout

Original pictorial stiff card wraps. 155 very clean and bright pages. Slight shelf wear on covers. Scarce! (PT275)

Postage €4.00
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The Night of the Big Wind is an historical phenomenon that occurred Sunday, 6 January 1839. The entire island of Ireland was catastrophically affected, but the event has been buried under the weight of Ireland's next catastrophe, The Great Hunger, which began just five years later. The Big Wind destroyed millions of trees, killed millions of birds, rained salt and herring inland--it was a storm of mythical proportions, tearing roofs off, throwing cattle into rivers, carrying children away. Thousands were rendered homeless, crops were scattered, chimneys exploded with fire, as the wind fanned up the embers. Peter Carr has collected accounts from manuscripts, newspapers, and books. He charts and explains the likely meteorological explanation for the storm, and he also incorporates the explanations that common people gave at the time. During the storm, many thought the end of the world had come, and after the storm, many maintained that it was the work of the fairies. After all, it happened during the time of fairy revels which concurred with the end of the Christmas season. Carr's book is a pleasant read, with a bit of humour tucked in here and there, and is as comprehensive as it's possible for it to be. The appendix gives an alphabetical listing, by place name, of reports specific to an area.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/3808562-the-big-wind