To the English, especially the British Army who occupied Ireland.
Murphy was the most popular name in Ireland, so we were called potatoes.
It's a bit of an insult as the English took the other crops that were harvested in Ireland for their markets, so the Irish were left with only potatoes, and when that crop failed in the 1840's it caused a famine.
Etymology is tricky, but an Old English word for a digging tool was a spud. I guess those were around before potatoes, as we didn't have potatoes until Elizabeth the First was queen.
Spud here is usually plural and means potatoes. Is that the same in Brighton? Don't know why we call potatoes spuds. Maybe you do.
Potatoes = Irish
To the English, especially the British Army who occupied Ireland.
Murphy was the most popular name in Ireland, so we were called potatoes.
It's a bit of an insult as the English took the other crops that were harvested in Ireland for their markets, so the Irish were left with only potatoes, and when that crop failed in the 1840's it caused a famine.
I knew that part (really well documented in Michael Pollan's book), but I don't understand the use of the word "spud" for potato
Etymology is tricky, but an Old English word for a digging tool was a spud. I guess those were around before potatoes, as we didn't have potatoes until Elizabeth the First was queen.