▁& ▁reference ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁Post ▁ ▁Category : S ri ▁L ank an ▁government ▁officials ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁Category : Post al ▁system ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁Irish ▁fam ine ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁main ▁Irish ▁fam ine . ▁Un like ▁the ▁earlier ▁Great ▁Fam ines ▁of ▁ 1 7 4 0 – 1 7 4 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 4 5 – 1 8 5 2 , ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁fam ine ▁( s ometimes ▁called ▁the ▁" min i - f am ine " ▁or ▁) ▁caused ▁hung er ▁rather ▁than ▁mass ▁death s , ▁due ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁technology ▁of ▁food ▁production , ▁different ▁structures ▁of ▁land - hold ing ▁( the ▁disapp earance ▁of ▁the ▁sub - div ision ▁of ▁land ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁c ott ier ▁class ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁earlier ▁Great ▁Fam ine ), ▁rem itt ances ▁from ▁the ▁Irish ▁di as por a , ▁and ▁in ▁particular ▁the ▁prompt ▁response ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁government , ▁which ▁contrast ed ▁with ▁its ▁la isse z - f aire ▁response ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 – 1 8 5 2 . ▁Another ▁factor ▁was ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁small ▁sh ops ; ▁one ▁estimate ▁has ▁County ▁May o ▁shop keep ers ▁extending ▁some ▁£ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁credit ▁by ▁August ▁ 1 8 7 9 , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁stead ily ▁accum ulated ▁since ▁the ▁relatively ▁bad ▁har