A window in an abandoned cottage gradually deteriorates as the wild Atlantic Ocean chisels away at Ireland's coast in County Clare. While the cottage ruins cast a deep sadness from the past, the fresh ocean waves offer a dynamic sense of hope. Many abandoned cottages dot the Irish landscape, a lingering reflection of Ireland's tumultuous history with famine and emigration. Records indicate death claimed more than a million people in the Great Famine between 1841 and 1851; another two million left for other lands, mainly the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. There was no Skype, no texting, no email... the majority of those who emigrated never saw their families again. Ireland's pre-famine population numbered over 8 million. By 1900, the population had dwindled to around 4.5 million. In 2022, the island's population was 7 million -- 5.1 million in the Republic of Ireland and the remainder in Northern Ireland. Most counties in the Republic still have less than half of their 1841 populations, while the population of County Dublin is almost four times greater than its 1841 population. More than 80 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. This piece is part of the "Tides of Time" Collection by Irish Artist James A. Truett. Artist: James A. Truett Location: Ireland Dimensions: 2160 x 2700 HD Format: MP4 File Size: 162 MB Licence: NFT holder is free to use in advertising, display privately and in groups, including virtual galleries, documentaries and essays by holder of the NFT, as long as creator is duly credited. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works. Copyright remains with creator.