It was called Irish potato by earlier American generations to distinguish it from sweet potatoes. A stew of beef and boiled vegetables in a broth often with the addition of stout beer to strengthen flavor. They can be either standard breads or sweet breads. Potatoes came to Ireland by way of South America, and by 1688, they had become a staple of the Irish diet. The potato has long been considered a staple for the poor, and throughout their often difficult history, impoverished Irish people have relied heavily on it for subsistence.
Potatoes contain plentiful carbohydrates and some protein, calcium, and niacin.
They are easy to grow and store. In 1845, a fungus disease hit the Irish potato crop, causing a famine which killed millions of people and forced over a million to emigrate primarily to the United States to escape starvation. Oats were also a staple in the Irish diet, to feed not only the family, but to also support the livestock that worked the fields. Oatmeal porridge and oatmeal breads are perennial favorites. Ireland has now expanded and diversified its crops to include wheat, barley and sugar beets, in addition to the favored potatoes and oats.