An international group will follow in the footsteps of the tenants from Strokestown who were forced to emigrate to Canada during the summer of 1847.
The National Famine Walk will take place from Saturday, May 27th to Thursday, June 1st, with President Michael D. Higgins greeting and sending them off at a commemorative event at Richmond Harbour, Clondra, Co. Longford. They will be walking along the Royal Canal in costume and invite people to join them for stretches of the route. The Famine walkers’ journey can be followed in real time at www.nationalfamineway.ie.
“Strokestown Famine walkers will embark on the six-day trek of 155km and blaze a new National Famine Way walking trail along the Royal Canal between Strokestown and Dublin, 170 years after the individual emigrants’ original journey”, said Caroilin Callery of Strokestown Park and the Irish National Famine Museum. “We are inviting local people to join us for stretches of the journey”, she continued.
The event recreates the journey of 1490 tenants from Denis Mahon’s estate at Strokestown Park, now the site of the Irish National Famine Museum.
Their journey took place in May 1847 or ‘Black 47’, one of the worst years of suffering of the Great Irish Famine. All are welcome to join!
