Around 1780, the people of Ireland started to eat potatoes. They found that potatoes had advantages. The potato grew on land, and it grew well in their cold and rainy climate. It gave more food than any other plant, and it needed little work. All they had to do was to plant the potatoes, and then they could do other work on the farm On a small piece of land, a farmer could grow enough potatoes to feed his family. A person could eat 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes a day, with some milk or cheese, and be very healthy. Soon, potatoes became the main food in Ireland. Then, in 1845, a disease killed all the potatoes in million people died of hunger. Many Irish who did not die Ireland. came to the United States at this time. Over a million Irish came to America; one of them was the great-grandfather of John F. Kennedy