Here is a sample of Irish Famine Memorials :
Irish Famine Exhibition, Dublin
This is a temporary popup summer exhibition which is located in the Stephens Green Centre in Dublin, Ireland. This Irish Famine Memorial tells the story of the Great Irish Potato Famine (1845-1852) using storyboards, a documentary film and artefacts.
Grosse Île, Quebec, Canada
"Grosse Île serves as a memorial to the tragic events endured by Irish immigrants here, chiefly during the typhus epidemic of 1847, when nearly 100,000 people, the majority escaping the Great Famine then ravaging Ireland, set sail for Canada. More than five thousand ended their journey buried on this island." https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=616
Kindred Spirits
The Kindred Spirits sculpture, also known as the Choctaw Nation and Irish Famine Memorial, is located in Midleton, County Cork, Ireland. It commemorates the bond between the Choctaw Nation and the Irish people during the Great Famine in the 1840s. The Choctaw Nation, despite facing their own hardships, raised funds to send to Ireland to support famine relief.
The memorial was unveiled in June 2017 and was created by Cork-based artist Alex Pentek. The sculpture consists of nine stainless steel eagle feathers arranged in a circle, symbolizing a bowl. This design is reminiscent of the traditional Choctaw wedding basket. The feathers represent a gesture of solidarity, compassion, and empathy between the Choctaw Nation and the Irish people.
The Choctaw Nation's contribution to Irish famine relief is a touching and little-known aspect of history that the Kindred Spirits memorial seeks to honor and remember. The memorial serves as a symbol of the enduring connections between diverse cultures and the capacity for empathy and support even in times of great hardship.
The National Irish Famine Museum
This Irish famine memorial is a museum located in Strokestown, Roscommon, Ireland. The museum was built by the Westward Group and all the documents on display in the museum are from the estate. The exhibit aims to explain the Great Irish Famine and to draw parallels with the occurrence of famine in the world today. The Museum is twinned with the Grosse Isle and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site in Quebec, Canada.
The Dublin Famine Memorial
The Irish Famine Memorial in Dublin, also known as the Famine Memorial or the Great Famine Memorial, is located along the Custom House Quay in Dublin, Ireland. The memorial was unveiled in 1997 and is dedicated to the memory of those who suffered and died during the Great Famine (1845-1852), a devastating period in Irish history marked by widespread crop failures, starvation, and mass emigration.
The memorial consists of a series of bronze statues created by sculptor Rowan Gillespie. The statues depict emaciated and skeletal figures representing the Irish people who endured immense suffering during the famine. The haunting and powerful sculptures are arranged in a line along the quay, facing the River Liffey.
Famine Memorial in St Stephen's Green
The memorial, officially titled "Famine" or "Famine Memorial," was unveiled in 1967 and is situated on the western side of the park.
The sculpture by Edward Delaney depicts a family group with hollowed faces, symbolizing the suffering and hardship endured during the Irish Famine (1845-1852). The figures are positioned on a simple stone plinth. The memorial serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of the famine on the Irish population.
National Famine Monument at Murrisk, County Mayo
The National Famine Monument in Murrisk, County Mayo, Ireland, is a significant memorial commemorating the victims of the Great Famine (1845-1852). The monument is located near Croagh Patrick, a mountain associated with Saint Patrick, about 7 kilometers west of Westport.
The monument was unveiled in 1997 and was created by sculptor John Behan. It consists of a bronze sculpture depicting a "Coffin Ship," which refers to the overcrowded and disease-ridden ships that carried Irish emigrants, often in appalling conditions, to North America and other destinations during and after the famine. The ship is set against the backdrop of a stone wall.
Liverpool, England
A memorial is in the grounds of St Luke's Church on Leece Street. It recalls that from 1849–1852 1,241,410 Irish immigrants arrived in the city and that from there they dispersed to locations around the world. Many died despite the help they received within the city. Some 7000 in the city perished within one year.
The Irish Hunger Memorial New York
This famine memorial looks like a sloping hillside with low stone walls and a roofless cabin on one side and a polished wall with lit (or white) lines on the other three sides. The memorial is located in Battery Park City, a short walk west from the World Trade Center site. The Irish Hunger Memorial is a notable public art installation and memorial located in New York City. It was dedicated on July 16, 2002, and serves as a tribute to the millions of Irish people who died or were displaced during the Great Famine (1845-1852) in Ireland. The memorial also aims to raise awareness about contemporary hunger issues around the world.
Famine Memorial in Toronto, Canada
Famine Memorial in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, known as the Ireland Park Foundation. This memorial commemorates the Irish Famine and the thousands of Irish immigrants who arrived in Toronto during the 1840s, particularly during the years of the Great Famine (1845-1852).
Four bronze statues arriving at the Toronto wharves, at Ireland Park on Bathurst Quay. These were modeled after the Dublin Departure Memorial.
Coffin Ship Sculpture: One notable sculpture in the park depicts a family aboard a ship, highlighting the difficult conditions that many Irish immigrants faced during their transatlantic journeys, often on overcrowded and disease-ridden ships referred to as "coffin ships."
An Gorta Mor Memorial, Irish Hills, Michigan
The Ancient Order of Hibernian's An Gorta Mor Memorial is located on the grounds in the Irish Hills district of Lenawee County, Michigan. There are thirty-two black stones as the platform, one for each county in Ireland. The grounds are surrounded with a stone wall. The Lintel is a step from Penrose Quay in Cork Harbour.
