26 September 2015
Ministers
remember famine at Newry commemorative event
The deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Culture
Minister Carál Nί Chuilίn have remembered the awful effects of the famine at
the eighth annual famine commemoration in Newry.
The annual commemorative event is organised by the
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DAHG) and this is the first
occasion that the event has been held in the north of Ireland. It was hosted by Newry, Mourne and Down
District Council, with support from the Department of Culture, Arts and
Leisure.
The potato crop, which was the key – and in many cases
only - sustenance for much of the Irish population, failed to various degrees
every year between 1845 and 1851 and in those years the Irish population fell
by almost two million. Emigration continued to plague the Irish nation for
decades to come and by the time of the 1911 census it had dropped to 4.4
million, some 4.1 million less than it had been at the outbreak of the famine.
The Northern Ireland Executive endorsed the proposal to
hold this year’s Famine Commemoration in Newry.
This cross-party support recognised the important opportunity to
increase understanding and raise awareness of a key period in our shared
history and to promote inclusive approaches to remembering our past.
Expressing his appreciation that the event was taking
place in the north, the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: “I
welcome the fact this commemoration is being held in the north for the first
time and commend everyone involved for making this a reality.
“The famine left an indelible mark on the
island of Ireland, changing every townland, village, town, county and province
forever. Today provides an opportunity for us all to pause and reflect on the
pain and suffering of our ancestors. While we will never be able to fully
appreciate the true poverty, starvation and horror suffered during that chapter
in our history the actions and efforts of those during the famine remain a
major source of inspiration for us to this day.
“The resolve and resilience of previous
generations is ever present in society today as many of our young people
continue to emigrate to make better lives for their families. The paths walked
by previous generations have paved the way.
“Unfortunately there are people in the world
who are still forced to leave home due to persecution, hunger and fear. We must
always support those in greatest need. It is with this in mind we must extend
the hand of friendship to people who want to come here and call Ireland their
home.”
Culture Minister Carál Nί Chuilίn said: “The
Great Hunger’ or ‘An Gorta Mόr’ is a time that should never be forgotten and as
such this yearly commemorative event is an important template to help us
appreciate what a terrible period it was for Ireland. The famine impacted on everyone right across
the country and even now, some 170 years later, it is difficult to comprehend
the sheer scale of hardship and suffering.
“In
remembering those who lost their lives or were forced into emigration, in most
cases never to return, it is timely to also remember the many people across the
world who are presently suffering the effects of hunger or malnutrition, or who
are being forced to flee their homelands due to conflict. In their time of need we should offer all
assistance we can.”
The Minister also thanked the Department of Arts,
Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for
their efforts in organising this event.
She said: “I
commend the Irish Government for their foresight in bringing this event to Newry
and thank the local Council on their trojan efforts in staging today’s
event. The Council has truly embraced
the occasion by organising a range of related events throughout this week, some
of which examined the impact of the famine in the locality.”
The keynote address was delivered by Heather Humphreys
TD, Minister of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, while wreaths were laid by
both the deputy First Minister and the Culture Minister. Ms Nί Chuilίn also recited a contemporary
account of the sinking of ‘The Hannah’, an emigrant ship that left Warrenpoint en
route to Quebec, but sank in the Gulf of Lawrence on 29 April 1849 after
hitting ice, with at least 49 passengers drowning.
Tomorrow a plaque will be unveiled in Warrenpoint in
recognition of those emigrants who sailed from Warrenpoint to New Brunswick on
another famine ship, ‘The Lady Caroline.’
Notes
to editors:
- The first famine commemoration took place in Dublin in 2008. It rotates annually between Ireland’s four provinces and was once previously held in Ulster, when Clones was the venue in 2011.
- Media enquiries to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Press Office, Tel 028 9051 5046 or email DCAL Communications: communications@dcalni.gov.uk. Out of office hours call the duty officer on 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
