Remembering - Commemoration plaques

The official National Famine Commemoration will take place on The Mall in Drogheda on the afternoon of Sunday 13 May 2012. As part of that event, An Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, will unveil the commemoration plaque shown below.

This plaque is one of series of a six plaques that have been specially commissioned to

provide a permanent memorial of the 2012 National Famine Commemoration Events in

Drogheda. There are being placed in locations around the town that played a very

significant role during the period of the Great Famine.

These locations are:
THE MALL - This is the location for the main Famine Commemoration Event being led by
An Taoiseach. It is also the location of Drogheda Port from where some 70,000 people
emigrated from Ireland during 1847 alone. The paddle steamer shown on the plaque is
similar to those in which these many emigrants travelled to Liverpool, either to stay in
England or to undertake a second boat journey to further afield.


THE THOLSEL - This would have been the centre of local government and poor relief in Famine times


DROGHEDA WORKHOUSE - The workhouse, at St. Marys, on the south side of the town,
was the very last option for the destitute and starving poor.


THE CORNMARKET - This was on the site now occupied by the Borough Council Offices
at Fair Street and was one of the locations used for Soup Kitchens in Drogheda


CHORD CEMETERY - This is the final resting place for many victims of the Famine


BOSTON 2102 - Boston is the overseas Famine Commemoration location for 2012 and

The President will officiate at commemoration ceremonies there on the week-end of 5th
May. This plaque is to mark both that fact and the other many historic links between
Drogheda and Boston

National Famine Commemoration Poetry

The poem featured below will be read on Sunday 13 May as part of the National Famine Commemoration.  You will find both the Irish and English Translation of the poem.

Na Fataí Bána - Peatsaí Ó Callanáin

Mo mhíle slán do na fataí bána,

Ba subhach an áit a bheith in aice leo,

Ba fáilí soineanta iad ag tíocht chun láithreach,

Agus iad ag gáirí linn ar cheann an bhoird.

Ba chabhair don bhanaltra iad, don fhear is don gharlach,

Don lag is don láidir, don óg is don chríon,

Ach fáth mo dhocharna is ábhar m’angair,

Gur lobh na preátaí gan sioc ná síon.

Is é mo dhíobháil dheachrach, is mo ghalra dubhchroíoch,

Na fataí ag dúchan ins gach céard den domhan,

Na gais críon seargtha ón gcéad lá Lúnas’,

Gan bláth ná snua orthu ach mar bheadh faoi Shamhain.

Nach é seo an scéal docharnach ag tíocht an Fhómhair,

An t-údar bróin dúinn agus briseadh croí,

An bheatha a chleachtamar i dtús ár n-óige.

Bheith lofa dreoite gan mhaith gan bhrí.

DROGHEDA DURING FAMINE TIMES

Dé Céadaoin 9ú Bealtaine / Wednesday 9th May

Drogheda Civic Trust presents The Inaugural Whitaker Lecture Talk

 by Prof. John Fitzgerald: 

Prof. John Fitzgerald will discuss aspects of his own thesis on the commercial importance of Drogheda in the 18th century. Drogheda during the Great Famine.

Survival of the Least Fit Talk by Mr. Ned McHugh: 

Local Historian Mr. Ned Mc Hugh will discuss the role that Drogheda Port played in the famine, being one of the largest emigration ports in the country.

Time: 6:30p.m.

@ Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda

Bookings: 041 9803311 / info@highlanes.ie

Recreating the Soup Kitchen

In the summer of 1847, the government set up some soup kitchens to give the starving people hot soup. Huge boilers were provided by The Quakers in which to cook the soup. By August 1847, about 3 million people were being fed each day in total. 


A soup kitchen will be situated in the yard of Drogheda Borough Council which, during famine times, was the site of one of many soup kitchens. For a donation of €5 to Drogheda Homeless Aid, a tasty lunch will be served for you.

Venue: Drogheda Borough Council Yard
12.00 noon schools only
1.15pm:- 2.30 p.m. open to the public

National Famine Commemoration - Drogheda 2012 - Connections to Mayo

One of the most significant aspects of Drogheda's involvement with the Great Famine is

that so many of those who emigrated through Drogheda Port were not from this area at all. Some 70,000 people left Drogheda for Liverpool in 1847 alone. Many of these people had travelled from the West of Ireland, including County Mayo. Newspaper reports at the time spoke of many extreme cases including one of a family of four from the Ballina area who arrived in Drogheda having been three weeks on the road. However, the long journey, coupled with lack to food, had taken it's toll and sadly, the two children collapsed and died on Shop Street in the centre of Drogheda. The newspaper went on to say that "this is but one of the innumerable cases of destitution witnessed amongst the crowds daily arriving here from the West."

The Drogheda Famine Commemoration Committee was anxious from the start to recognise and remember all of the people who traveled from the West of Ireland, including Mayo, endeavouring to escape the ravages of Famine and leave Ireland to seek a better life abroad. Throughout our week of Famine Commemoration Events, we will touch time and time again on this theme. The story of the unfortunate family from Ballina is being used as one of our readings in the National Famine Commemoration Event on The Mall on the afternoon of Sunday, 13 May. The Mayor, Councillor Kevin Callan will read this moving and poignant description of a fate that no doubt was seen many times on the streets of Drogheda as the Famine ravaged our country. "The Departure" is a symbolic re-enactment of the story of our Ballina Family in 1947, the story of the exodus from Mayo as a result of an Gorta Mor. The walk takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 7 May in Belleek Wood on the outskirts of Ballina and will include a visit to the Famine Wall.

The tree to be planted by An Taoiseach on 13 May will be presented by the Mayor of Ballina to the Mayor of Drogheda during The Departure walk in Belleek Wood, in memory of the many people who traveled from Mayo to Drogheda Port. As the tree from Ballina is planted we will be joined the walkers from "The Arrival" walk along the River Boyne from Oldbridge House to Drogheda which continues our symbolic

re-enactment of the story of our Ballina family. On their arrival they will be greeted by performers from the Little Duke Theatre in ragged costumes. We also hope to be joined on the 13 May for the main National Commemoration Ceremony by the Mayor of Ballina.

Cultural and Heritage Events for Children

To introduce our local children to the legacy of An Gorta Mor, a series of cultural events will take place focusing on the place of the great Famine in their heritage.
See image below for programme details.

The National Commemoration Ceremony will take place on May 13th- All Welcome