Famine to be commemorated in Murrisk this Sunday

Famine to be commemorated in Murrisk this Sunday


Áine Ryan

IN THE early 1840s, for the many peasants of congested rural Mayo, the lazy bed, the loy and the Connaught lumpar potato dominated their flimsy lives. By the end of that decade over two million Irish people would have died, or emigrated in the dreaded Coffin Ships, due to the repeated failure of the potato crop. This terrible tragedy was underpinned by a medieval colonial landlord system and further exacerbated by a laissez faire economic policy, championed by the notorious Charles Trevelyan.
During the Great Potato Famine Mayo’s population dramatically dropped from 389,000 to just over 274,000 in the decade from 1841 to 1851.
Now, this week in Westport and Murrisk, the legacy of this disaster will be marked by a series of events, culminating with a ceremony at the National Famine Monument on Sunday next, May 16.
On the previous night, Saturday May 15, John O’Shea of GOAL will speak on the subject of contemporary world hunger, in Holy Trinity Church at 8pm. Since 1977, his organisation has responded to every major humanitarian disaster round the globe.
John O’Shea is the Chief Executive of GOAL, the charity founded in Dublin in 1977. Since its inception, GOAL has spent in excess of 2600m on humanitarian programmes in over 50 countries. Over 1,500 GOAL personnel and many thousands of local staff have worked in the developing world on GOAL’s behalf and the organisation has responded to every major humanitarian disaster since 1977.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Ms Bronach Joyce, Curator of the Clew Bay Heritage Centre, will lead a historical walking tour highlighting aspects of famine in Westport and the surrounding area. The walk will incorporate the site of the old workhouse and Lord Altamont’s Town House, now the Tourist Office on James Street.
On the previous day, Friday May 14, ‘The Horror of Famine’ will be addressed by local historian and archaeologist, William Henry from Galway. Among Henry’s historical books is the highly acclaimed ‘Coffin Ship’, which traces the journey of the coffin ship, St John and the lives of its occupants. The lecture, to be held at 8pm in the Westport Lesiure Park, will focus on the impact of the famine on the western seaboard.
Commenting on the commemorative week, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey (pictured) observed that the programme ‘blends culture, history, music and song, and promises to be a fitting tribute to those who died or suffered loss in the Great Famine’.
Next Sunday, in the shadow the National Famine Monument – John Behan’s famine ship sculpture (pictured) – and holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, there will be a solemn service, which will include music, readings, tree planting and candle lighting, as well as wreath laying.
The full programme is available from Westport Town Council at 098 50400.