<human>:  When did the Irish Potato Famine start and when did it end?
<bot>: The Irish Potato Famine started in 1845 and lasted until 1852. The famine killed over a million people in Ireland, and it was the result of a fungus that destroyed the potato crop. The famine was caused by the potato blight, a disease that spread rapidly across Ireland, and was especially devastating in the west of the country. The fungus destroyed the potato crops, which were the main food source for the Irish people. The famine caused a huge economic crisis in Ireland, and many people died from starvation.