If your family heritage is Irish, you may be interested in learning more about the Great Famine and its relationship to Irish-American immigration.
One of the best places to access vital information about this topic is found in Ireland itself, at New Ross, County Wexford’s acclaimed Dunbrody Famine Ship & Irish Emigrant Experience…
This unique visitor’s centre features some dazzling and informative exhibits, as well as access to a clever, full-sized reproduction of a 1840’s Emigrant Vessel (which is shown at left). While you’re on-site, you will be free to explore the ship, up close and personal.
Once you discover all that this impressive emigrant experience has to offer, you may want to add it your itinerary for your next Emerald Isle adventure…
Enrich Your Knowledge of Ireland’s Great Famine
Situated in the southeast portion of the Emerald Isle, the Dunbrody Famine Ship & Irish Emigrant Experience offers a host of impressive (and highly educational) things to see and do.
While the Famine Ship which is moored on-site is definitely a key attraction, the centre has much more to offer.
For example, it provides visitors with access to other exciting features, including an Irish America Hall of Fame, a guided tour of the premises, a café (which offers stunning views of the nearby river) and a poignant Arrival Hall exhibit, which details the fates of those who emigrated from Ireland due to the Great Famine.
During your visit, perfomers who’ve donned the clothing of this pivotal time period will talk to you in order to help you understand more about the Famine and its profound impact on the Emerald Isle (as well as its impact on the nations which became “homes away from home” to a host of Irish immigrants)…
The map of America which is pictured here is an interesting exhibit at Dunbrody…it shows the percentage of people in the different states who claim Irish descent.
Now, let’s talk about the Famine Ship, which offers visitors a realistic sense of exactly what it would be like to board a vessel bound for a new land, in order to escape the hardships of a famine-ravaged country…
About the Famine Ship
The Famine Ship attracts hordes of tourists every year, because it offers a unique perspective on the day-to-day realities of the Great Famine.
Imagine for a moment that you’ve made the decision to sail away from Ireland, your long-time home, onboard a vessel just like this one! Just think of the prism of emotions that you would experience as you stepped onboard and prepared for a whole new life!
Fear, hope, memories and all manner of profound thoughts and feelings would undoubtedly overcome you as you gathered with others who were also “in the same boat”.
Making the decision to leave would take real courage – something the Irish, with their renowned “fighting spirit”, have always been known to possess…
Some immigrants went on to achieve greatness in their new countries, while others were surely awash with regrets and with fierce longings for Ireland (and for the friends and loved ones that they left behind).
For certain, everyone who boarded a Famine Ship embarked on an adventure that was like nothing that they’d ever experienced in the past.
In this sense, those who boarded Famine Ships were truly stepping into the unknown…
The ship which is moored at the centre is based on an 1840’s immigrant ship. Authentic in every detail, this stunning reproduction was crafted with painstaking attention to detail.
By touring the ship, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the way that the potato famine marked the lives and hearts of those who chose to leave Ireland in order to seek out prosperity in new places.
Now that you know more about Dunbrody, why not plan a visit? When you do, you’ll connect with our own Irish ancestry in a way that will be unforgettable.
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