Ireland’s Famine Way

This item appears on page 4 of the November 2019 issue.

The National Famine Way, a 165-kilometer walking route from County Roscommon to Dublin, was inaugurated in May 2019. Commemorating the two million people who either died or emigrated during the Great Irish Famine in the mid-19th century, the route follows the path taken by 1,490 people who were forcefully evicted from Strokestown Park estates in 1847 and walked toward Dublin to board emigration ships.

A museum marks each end of the route: the National Famine Museum (Strokestown Park House, County Roscommon, Ireland; www.strokestownpark.ie/famine/museum) and the Irish Emigration Museum, or EPIC (The CHQ Building, Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin; epicchq.com).

The walk is expected to take about six days. Along the route, 30 bronze statues of children’s shoes tell one family’s story. For info and an interactive map, visit nationalfamineway.ie.