In July 1849 Scottish writer and staunch Unionist Thomas Carlyle came to Ireland at the invitation of his friend, nationalist Charles Gavan Duffy. Together this unlikely couple spent a month touring Ireland. In this documentary Grainne Seoige follows in their footsteps and using Carlyle’s book as a guide, sets out to see what can be leant about the famine by looking at the tragedy from the perspective of the ruling elit