merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, has announced that the 2013 International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine will take place in Sydney on Sunday, 25th August 2013.

Minister Deenihan commented:

'As Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, I look forward to working with the community in Sydney and, in particular, with Sydney's Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee to ensure that those who perished, suffered and emigrated during this tragic time in our nation's history are honoured in a very special way.

We remember especially all of those who left Ireland during the Great Famine for Australia; particularly the 4,412 young Irish women and girls who travelled from the workhouses of Ireland between 1848 and 1850 under the Earl Grey Scheme in search of hope and a new beginning. We honour their great achievements and their extraordinary contribution to their adopted homeland and we recognise the bond that will always exist between the Irish people and the people of Sydney.'

There have been four international commemorations of the Great Irish Famine to date. These overseas events coincide with the annual National Famine Commemoration, which rotates around the four provinces of Ireland. Previous overseas events have taken place in Canada (2009), New York (2010), Liverpool (2011) and Boston (2012).

The date and location of the 2013 National Famine Commemoration, which will take place in the province of Munster, and will be announced later this year.