Grain release

On Friday, 22.07.2022, the agreement between Turkey, Russia and Ukraine on grain release was signed in Istanbul. And once again the Turks have done something against hunger.

Why once again?

There was a terrible famine in Ireland in 1845 and the then Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid did everything he could to help the Irish.

Famine Ireland 1845-1852

In 1845 the potato harvest in Ireland was 40% lower and in the following year it was even 100% lower. The potatoes in the stores also became inedible due to late blight. The Irish had virtually nothing to eat and starved to death, killing 1 million Irish. Unfortunately, the Irish could not sell potatoes and were driven out of their homes by the English, so they had to live on the streets.

Without an appeal for help from the Irish, the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid wanted to send 10,000 sterling in aid. The Ottoman Empire itself was not doing so well, but it was better off than the Irish. Nevertheless, they shared what they had with the Irish, because Islam commands us Muslims to help those in need! The sum of 10,000 sterling was provided for transportation and was intended to end the suffering of the people in Ireland from Dublin.

The English Ambassador in Istanbul sent greetings from Queen Victoria to the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid. He conveyed a request from the Queen to Sultan Abdülmecid as a message. “Refrains from helping the Irish to the tune of 10,000 sterling because Queen Victoria herself is only sending 2,000 sterling to the Irish. Instead, donate only 1,000 sterling, otherwise you will donate more than the Queen herself.” The Sultan Abdülmecid agrees to donate only 1,000 sterling. However, he organized 5 ships full of potatoes and other food and health supplies for the remaining 9,000 sterling. As the mothers had no milk for their babies due to hunger, the Ottoman Sultan also sent baby food for the babies.

When the 5 ships of the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid, packed full of food, wanted to dock in the port of Dublin, the English forbade the project! Their reasoning: “We have donated nothing to the Irish, so you don’t donate anything to the Irish.” So the English didn’t care about the Irish and condemned them to death. The Sultan’s ships docked in the port of Drogheda about 45 kilometers north of Dublin and distributed everything to the Irish in need.

The Irish first received aid in the amount of 1,000 sterling and shortly afterwards 5 ships full of food from the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid. At last no more hunger and no more deaths, the Irish were so happy and beside themselves with joy. After everything had turned out well again, the Irish wanted to thank the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid.

The gratitude of the Irish was to be so great that the crescent and star could be found all over the town of Drogheda. Even the soccer club Drogheda United has the crescent and star.

The Irish have thus regained their prosperity. 70 years later, special Irish groups came to Çanakkale on the orders of the Queen to attack the Turks.