Michael Crowley 
The Great Famine and Mussels 

The starvation, disease, and death caused by the Great Famine (184549) could have been greatly alleviated, if not totally averted, had the people of Ireland known about mussel farming and the abundant supply of this high-protein food source that could have been harvested in the bays and estuaries all around the Irish coast. The causes of the Great Famine, both immediate and in the long term, as well as its appalling consequences, are succinctly presented.

The author outlines in laymans language the life cycle of the mussel, Mytilus edulis. Being a filter feeder, this bivalve mollusk has the capacity to monitor the presence of viruses, bacteria, and heavy metals in the surrounding seawater. Thus, marine pollution may be detected and controlled.

The author documents his pioneering work that spearheaded the development of the Irish mussel-farming industry. Currently, there are 375 people employed in Ireland in the harvesting of ten thousand tons annually of both rope-suspended and seabed-harvested mussels. He proceeds to give a concise account of the four internationally recognized mussel culture methods.

In the event of some future famine or global food shortage, the humble mussel could prove to be the ideal, cheap, plentiful, protein-rich food source to help mitigate the dire consequences of such a scenario.

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Michael Crowley, the youngest of ten children, was born in the year 1932 into a farming family in Ballywalter, County Cork. In 1946, he entered St. Colman’s College, Fermoy, where he received his secondary education. He graduated from the University College Dublin in 1963 with a bachelor of science degree. Having joined the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1966, he worked as a marine biologist until his retirement in 1988. He devoted over 25 years of his professional career to the study of mussels and mussel culture. His pioneering work in this field led to the development of the Irish mussel-farming industry. He is married to Mary, and they have two children and live in County Meath.