National Famine Memorial

Posted: 05/27/08

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The National Famine Memorial is situated on the foot of the Croagh Patrick on the other side of the Westport to Louisburgh road.

When the Great Famine was raging over Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century thousands tried to escape starvation by emigrating to the United States of America and Canada. Unseaworthy ships were deployed and even if the ship managed to stay on the surface of the ocean hundreds of emigrants died of diseases caused by the horrible living conditions on these so-called coffin ships. The sculpture, created by John Behan in 1994, depicts a coffin ship with skeletons on the decks and in the rigging. It is a truly impressive memorial which reduce every visitor to silence.

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