National Famine Memorial Day 2010 for Murrisk

National Famine Memorial Day 2010 for historic Murrisk village


Edwin McGreal

Murrisk is set to host the 2010 National Famine Memorial Day. It is proposed that the national event will take place in the village on May 16 next after Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív outlined the National Famine Commemoration Committee’s plans for the memorial day for 2010.
Murrisk is home to the evocative National Famine Monument. The sculpture by John Behan depicts a ‘Coffin Ship’ with skeletal bodies and commemorates the Great Famine of the 1840s and is the largest bronze sculpture in Ireland and will likely form a central part of the Memorial day.
The parallel international event will be held in New York.
“We’re delighted that the Memorial Day will take place in Murrisk and we think it is great recognition for the village.
It is the ideal spot for a Famine Commemoration with the National Famine Monument already here,” said Johnny Groden, (pictured) Chairman of the Murrisk Development Association.
“We’re unsure what format the day will take as of yet, that is yet to be decided and will be examined in the coming weeks. But we are a very suitable location, we feel very strongly about that and we have Westport nearby as well to provide a lot of facilities too.”
The west of Ireland, and County Mayo in particular, was one of the worst-affected areas during the Great Famine and this is a significant reason why Murrisk has been selected to host the 2010 event.   
“I am delighted that Murrisk is to be the location for the National Famine Commemoration ceremony in 2010, and I know that the event in Murrisk will be a poignant and a fitting tribute to those that perished and suffered loss and desolation during the Great Hunger,” said Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, who is planning to meet with Mayo County Council and the Murrisk Development Association in the coming weeks to make the necessary arrangements.