Edward Haley (b 1835) grandfather of William Haley (b 1888)

left Ireland for England between 1837 and 1851 with his parents and siblings

1875 NYS Census  Edward was a 40 year old Brewer

1851 Yorkshire, England  Edward was a 16 year old Jobber in a Worsted Factory

It is safe to speculate that Edward Haley's family left Ireland for England due to economic reasons.
Whether they were starving is beyond any direct research material I have come across.