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Strokestown Co. Roscommon 2nd - 11th Bealtaine / May 2014 1 NATIONAL NATIONAL The estate How did the local community react to during the Great the clearance of thousands of people? COMMEMORATION 2014 COMMEMORATIONWho 2014benefited from these clearances? How did those who emigrated fare in It is a great honour and privilege for County of starvation, evictions, emigration, disease and In the social memory of the Roscommon to be chosen to host the National death. Remembering and commemorating the at Strokestown, the assisted emigration their receiving communities? Was there Famine Commemoration in 2014.The Great Irish complex story of the famine is being undertaken of 1,490 people to Canada, the murder a dislocation of country house life during Famine was one of the most catastrophic events through a comprehensive programme taking place of Major Denis Mahon in 1847 and the the Famine or did it continue relatively in Irish History. The famine altered the demographic, from 2nd to 11th May 2014. With Strokestown Park subsequent clearance of 3,000 ten- unaffected. The existence of the economic, social, political, cultural and House and the Famine Museum at the centre of the psychological development of modern Ireland. commemorations the programme includes events ants from the estate from 1848-1849 Strokestown Famine archive, now on loan The impact and repercussions of the famine in ranging from the literary festival, famine exhibitions, predominates. While, it is certainly true to NUI Maynooth, and on deposit in the circumstances where one million people died and a library displays, lectures, talks and readings , that the emigration schemes and the OPW-NUIM Archive and Research Centre further one million emigrated left an indelible mark children’s workshops, schools’ art exhibition, clearances caused considerable unrest, at Castletown House, allows for a that is still evident today in each and every parish in genealogy centre , street theatre, wreath laying systematic analysis of events as they the country. We, as a local authority, with a strong and commemorative famine wall unveiling. which contributed to the murder of Denis sense of our cultural, historical, heritage and I would like to acknowledge the support and Mahon, social memory, if left untested, unfolded and provides answers to these community identity are committed to fostering contribution of all partners including the Department can hide many other complexities of how and many other questions. an appreciation and understanding of events that of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Roscommon the Famine played itself out at a local shaped our County and recognize the opportunity County Council, Strokestown Park House, Strokestown level. The existence of the Strokestown In Autumn 2014 Dr Ciaran Reilly will this National Famine Commemoration presents to Community Development Association, NUI Maynooth highlight the very real impact of the famine in County and the local community, who have all worked Famine archive highlights that there are publish a monograph, Voices of the Great Roscommon. Between the years 1841 – 1851 the together to ensure the success of the programme still major questions to be answered in Irish Famine: The Strokestown Archive population of decreased by over and provide a very warm welcome to all visitors relation to the greatest social calamity in Revealed. This will offer a microcosmic 80,000 people, representing the highest to the county for the occasion. modern Irish history. insight into how the Great Famine population loss (31%) of any county in the country. Martin Connaughton MCC unfolded at local level. Within that ten year period lies the very real tragedy For example, how widespread and Mayor of County Roscommon effective were local efforts to alleviate the plight of the impoverished? Cuimneachán Náisiúnta ar an nGorta Mór chun cuimhne agus a chomóradh i bhfoirm clár Réamhfhocal/Réamhrá an Chathaoirligh cuimsitheach a bheidh ar bhun ón 2ú -11ú Bealtaine 2014. Ar an gclár, a mbeidh go leor de ar bun i Is mór an onóir agus an phribhléid do Chontae Ros dTeach Páirce Bhéal na mBuillí agus i Músaem an Comáin gur roghnaíodh é chun an Cuimhneachán Ghorta Mhóir, beidh féile liteartha, taispeántais Náisiúnta ar an nGorta Mór a óstáil in 2014. Bhí an ar an nGorta, taispeántais leabharlainne, léachtaí, Gorta Mór ar cheann de na tubaistí ba mhó i stair na cainteanna agus léitheoireacht, ceardlanna do hÉireann. D’fhág an Gorta athrú ar dhul chun cinn leanaí, taispeántas ealaíne scoile, ionad ginealais, déimeagrafach, eacnamaíoch, sóisialta, polaitiúil, amharclannaíocht sráide, bláthfhleasca á leagan cultúir agus síceolaíoch Éire an lae inniu. D’fhág agus balla i gcuimhne ar an nGorta a nochtadh. an Gorta, inar bhásaigh milliún agus a ndeachaigh Ba mhaith liom aitheantas a thabhairt don tacaíocht milliún eile ar imirce, marc go deo ar Éirinn agus tá a agus don obair a rinne na páirtithe ar fad lena shliocht le brath inniu i ngach paróiste sa tír. n-áirítear an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Mar údarás áitiúil, a bhfuil tuiscint ar leith againn Gaeltachta, Comhairle Chontae Ros Comáin, Teach ar ár gcultúr, ár n-oidhreacht agus ar an bpobal, Páirce Bhéal na mBuillí, Cumann Forbartha Pobail féachaimid le meas agus tuiscint a chothú ar na Bhéal na mBuillí, Ollscoil na hÉireann Má Nuad agus himeachtaí a mhúnlaigh an Contae agus aithnímid an pobal áitiúil a d’oibrigh as lámh a chéile lena an deis atá againn leis an gCuimhneachán Náisiúnta chinntiú go n-éireodh leis an gclár agus le fáilte ar an nGorta Mór an tionchar a bhí ag an nGorta ar chroíúil a chur roimh na gcuairteoirí ar fad chuig an Ros Comáin a léiriú. Idir na blianta 1841 – 1851 gcontae don ócáid. tháinig laghdú 80,000 duine ar dhaonra Chontae Ros Comáin arbh ionann sin agus an laghdú is mó (31%) Martin Connaughton MCC ar dhaonra in aon chontae sa tír. Sna deich mbliana Méara Chontae Ros Comáin Thanks to the co-operation of all the providers and promoters all the events sin bhí ocras, díshealbhú, imirce, galair agus bás sa chontae. Déanfar scéal casta an Ghorta a thabhairt are FREE to the public. We look forward to your participation.

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OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF FAMINE Friday Saturday SCHOOLS FAMINE ART COMMEMORATION WEEK EXHIBITION Friday May 2nd | 7.30pm STROKESTOWN STROKESTOWN Saturday May 3rd | 3pm The launch will take place in association INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL Opening of the School’s Famine Art with Strokestown International Poetry POETRY FESTIVAL POETRY FESTIVAL Exhibition and prize giving. All welcome Festival, Roscommon County Council, Friday May 2nd | 6.45pm Saturday May 3rd | 10am Hosted by Roscommon County Council Strokestown Park House and Strokestown Primary and Secondary Schools Poetry 10am Poetry readings by Noelle Lynskey VENUE: The Hub Community Development Association and Awards. 2.00 Tour of Strokestown Park Gardens TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 CSHIHE. 8.30 pm Percy French Comic Verse Prize 3.00 Ogham Writers Group VENUE: Percy French Hotel VENUE: Percy French Hotel 4.15 Readings by Dedalus Press Poets Hosted by Strokestown Poetry Festival TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361794 FAMINE WALK OF VENUE: Strokestown Park House STROKESTOWN FAMINE IN COUNTY TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361794 Saturday May 3rd | 5pm THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE A walk around all the Famine sites ROSCOMMON EXHIBITION MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC in Strokestown, Roscommon Saturday May 3rd - 17th 2014 Exhibitions Friday May 2nd | 11am - 5.30pm THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Hosted by the County Roscommon This exhibition will run simultaneously in MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC With a display of rare Famine documents. Historical and Archaeological Society. five libraries: Strokestown, Roscommon, Saturday May 3rd | 11am - 5.30pm VENUE: Strokestown Park House MEETING: at SCDA Offices, Bawn Street Boyle, Ballaghaderreen and Castlerea. A collection of rare Famine documents TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 The individual exhibitions relate to the will be on display. TEL: Shane Lynskey 087 7796575. areas in which they will be held. See VENUE: Strokestown Park House local areas for opening times of various libraries. MUSIC BY COMHALTAS, TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 VENUE: Strokestown Library, Roscommon ADULT GROUP Library: Boyle Library; Ballaghaderreen Friday May 2nd | 10pm SLATE ART WORKSHOP Library; Castlerea Library. Hosted by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Saturday May 3rd | 12pm - 2pm Exhibitions to run during normal Library VENUE: Percy French Hotel Opening Hours. For 6 to 12 year olds who will be taught TEL: Patricia Rogers 086 8848444 slate art skills based on a Famine theme. Hosted by Roscommon County Council Creations will be displayed in The Event TEL: Richie Farrell 090 6637271 Tent for Commemoration Week - before going home to their Creators. Hosted by SCDA VENUE: The Hub TEL: Audrey Murphy 086 314 7517

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Saturday Sunday Monday LAUNCH OF EXHIBITION Monday May 5th | 8.30pm LECTURE ON THE IRISH STROKESTOWN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP The Famine Irish: Lecture by Dr Ciarán LUMPER POTATO INTERNATIONAL Monday May 5th | 12pm - 2pm Reilly (CSHIHE, NUI Maynooth’ and POETRY FESTIVAL Saturday May 3rd | 7pm Photographic display of Famine sites exhibition launch of ‘The Famine Irish: Sunday May 4th | From 10am Faces from County Roscommon’. Lecture: “Prátaí na hÉireann/”The story of in Strokestown in the event tent for the Irish Potato” by Margaret Hickey 10 – 12.15 readings Commemoration Week - before going Hosted by Stokestown Park House home to their owners Hosted by Strokestown Poetry Festival. 12.15pm | Cyphers Magazine VENUE: Strokestown Famine Museum launch by Prof. Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin Hosted by SCDA VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 2pm – 5pm | Readings by Paddy Bushe, VENUE: The Hub TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361796 James Harpur and Gallery Press poets TEL: Audrey Murphy 086 314 7517 7pm | Strokestown Choral Group MUSIC EVENT BY POETRY READING STROKESTOWN 7.30 pm Strokestown International THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Saturday May 3rd | 7pm Poetry Prize CHORAL GROUP MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Kieran Furey, a local poet, will read VENUE: Strokestown Park House Monday May 5th | 9.30pm Monday May 5th | 11am - 5.30pm from his Famine poetry. TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361796 Hosted by Strokestown Choral Group With a display of rare Famine documents. Hosted by Strokestown Poetry Festival. VENUE: Strokestown Park House VENUE: Strokestown Park House VENUE: Strokestown Park House THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE TEL: Sr Richard 086 8891645 TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 TEL: Pat Compton 087 2361796 MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Sunday May 4th | 11am - 5.30pm MUSIC AT HANLY’S PUB THE QUAKER’S INVOLVEMENT MUSIC EVENT With a display of rare Famine documents. Monday May 5th | 10pm IN FAMINE RELIEF Saturday May 3rd | 10.30pm VENUE: Strokestown Park House VENUE: Hanly’s Pub Monday May 3rd | 7.00pm Music Event by Féile Frank McGann TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 Lecture by Rob Goodbody on ‘The Great VENUE: Beirne’s Pub Irish Famine and the Society of Friends/ TEL: Eugene Murphy 086 2507590 MUSIC BY COMHALTAS, Quaker’s’ ADULT GROUP Hosted by County Roscommon Historical Sunday May 4th | 10pm and Archaeological Society Comhaltas Music Session VENUE: Strokestown Famine Museum

VENUE: Central Bar TEL: Jim Ganly 090 6626400 TEL: Patricia Rogers 086 8848444

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Tuesday LECTURE: COMMEMORATING Wednesday GENEALOGY CENTRE OPEN THE IRISH FAMINE: Wednesday May 7th | 10 - 3pm MEMORY AND THE MONUMENT THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Hosted by the Genealogy Centre Tuesday May 6th | 8pm MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 2pm | Genealogy Talk by Mary Skelly by Dr Emily Mark FitzGerald Tuesday May 6th | 11am - 5.30pm Wednesday May 7th | 11am - 5pm Curator Strokestown Genealogy Centre. (School of Art, UCD), With a display of rare Famine documents. With a display of rare Famine documents. Hosted by CSHIHE and Strokestown VENUE: Strokestown Genealogy Centre VENUE: Strokestown Park House Park House. VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: Mary Skelly 071 9633380 TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 VENUE: Strokestown Famine Museum TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 or www.roscommonroots.com TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 GENEALOGY CENTRE OPEN OPENING OF THE JEANIE JOHNSTON VOYAGE STROKESTOWN PARK Tuesday May 6th | 10 - 3pm SCHOOLS SCULPTURE Hosted by the Genealogy Centre Tuesday May 6th | 9.30pm COMPETITION: Photographic exhibition and talk by 2pm | Genealogy Talk by Mary Skelly Wednesday May 7th | 12noon Curator Strokestown Genealogy Centre. Jim Callery on his voyage on the Jeanie Johnston. This is a very exciting event taking place VENUE: Strokestown Genealogy Centre in Strokestown Park. Schools from county VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: Mary Skelly 071 9633380 Roscommon and beyond have been or www.roscommonroots.com TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 invited to create a piece of sculpture that reflects the theme of the Great Famine and its commemoration. Each piece of DEMONSTRATION OF CRAFTS sculpture will be place along the Woodland Walk which is open to the Tuesday May 6th | 11am - 5.30pm public. All visitors to the Woodlands can by the Active Age Group vote for their favourite piece. VENUE: Percy French Hotel A prize of €4,000 has been kindly TEL: Mary Egan 087 219 3434 sponsored by Investec Bank. Please visit and support this great artistic DEMONSTRATION OF THE initiative. ‘FAMINE STITCH’ VENUE: Strokestown Park House Gardens Tuesday May 6th | 3pm TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 by Mary O’Connor and Michelle Fallon VENUE: Strokestown Genealogy Centre TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543

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Wednesday HUNGER BY Thursday FAMINE BUS TOUR CURLEW THEATRE COMPANY Thursday May 8th | 2pm LECTURE: PLAIN PEOPLE Wednesday May 7th | 9.30pm THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Bus Tour of Famine related sites OF THE FAMINE Devised and Directed by Eamon Grennan MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC in Roscommon including visits to Wednesday May 7th | 8pm ‘Come 46, Then 47, Black 47 Thursday May 8th | 11am - 5.30pm Strokestown Famine Graveyard, Lecture by Professor Mark McGowan There Was No Mercy In It!’ With a display of rare Famine documents. Elphin Windmill, Castlerea Memorial entitled ‘Seeking the plain people of to the Famine victims and Roscommon This dramatic recital for two voices was VENUE: Strokestown Park House the Famine: strategies to uncover the Famine Memorial at the Sacred Heart created by Eamon Grennan to address TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 Roscommon migrants of 1847 from the Home, Roscommon and a tour of the the silence of memory of the Great Canadian side’. workhouse, Quakers meeting house Famine in the years and decades which in Ballymurray. This will include a VENUE: Strokestown Famine Museum followed. In Hunger the ghostly voices GENEALOGY CENTRE OPEN refreshments stop. Tour guide Jim TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 attempt to capture the essence of the Thursday May 8th | 10 - 3pm Ganly. Bus departs from Strokestown Famine period. 2pm | Genealogy Talk by Mary Skelly, Park House. Booking essential. Our hope is that through immersion in Curator Strokestown Genealogy Hosted by Co. Roscommon Historical what these living dead voices are telling Centre. and Archaeological Society us, our sense of some of the features of that unspeakable Famine landscape will VENUE: Strokestown Genealogy Centre VENUE: Leaving from Bawn Street, become clearer to us. TEL: Mary Skelly 071 9633380 Strokestown

Hosted by Roscommon County Council or www.roscommonroots.com TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 LECTURE: FORGOTTEN HEROES: WOMEN, CHILDREN AND CHARITY DURING THE GREAT HUNGER Thursday May 8th | 8pm Lecture by Professor , Director, Great Hunger Museum, Quinnipiac University. ‘ Women, children and charity during the great hunger’. VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013

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Thursday Friday Friday TRADITIONAL AMERICAN WAKE TIGHE FAMILY GATHERING THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY Friday May 9th | 9.30pm MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Thursday May 8th | 9.30pm Friday May 9th Emigrants who left Ireland in the Nationwide’s Friday May 9th | 11am - 5.30pm Showing of the Tighe family Remembrance ceremony and wreath post-Famine decades knew they would gathering event, held at Strokestown With a display of rare Famine documents. laying at Famine sites throughout the most likely never see their native land Park House in July 2013. VENUE: Strokestown Park House county. This is to commemorate all those again. Join us in our reenactment of VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: John O Driscoll 071 96330133 who died or suffered during the Famine ‘An American or Living Wake’. TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 and all those who emigrated. See local As families gathered together to bid a press for details. sad farewell to the departing emigrants ONE MINUTE’S SILENCE Hosted by Various Communities many local traditions were observed. MUSIC IN SPORTMAN’S INN Friday May 9th | 12 noon VENUE: Various places throughout the County Emigrants often brought a handful of their native soil with them amongst Thursday May 8th |10pm One minutes silence will be observed in TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 other items. Join us in our re-enactment schools and businesses throughout the VENUE: Sportsman’s Inn, Elphin Street of an ‘An American / Living Wake’. county at 12 noon to commemorate Hosted by SCDA the Famine (National Event). FAMINE WALK TO LISSONUFFY CEMETRY VENUE: Hayden’s Cottage, Bridge Street. Friday May 9th | 5.00pm TEL: Henry Owens - 087 907 4869 Hosted by County Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society. A wreath will be laid at 6pm VENUE: Meeting in Bawn Street at 5pm TEL: Shane Lynskey 087 7796575

LECTURE: THE PLIGHT OF FEMALES IN THE FAMINE Thursday May 8th | 8pm Dr Ciarán Reilly (CSHIHE, NUI Maynooth) will present a lecture ‘Famine was written on the faces of these women’: The plight of females in Roscommon during the 1840s’. VENUE: Strokestown Park House TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 12 13 NATIONAL NATIONAL

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Saturday FAMINE LECTURES Saturday THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE Saturday May 10th | 1.30pm - 4pm MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ROSCOMMON COUNTY Sunday May 11th | 11am THE IRISH NATIONAL FAMINE 1.30pm | Dr. Richard Reid MUSEUM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YOUTH ORCHESTRA With a display of rare Famine documents. ‘’There is no person starving here’’: PERFORMANCE Saturday May 10th | 11am - 5.30pm Australian responses to the Great Famine’ VENUE: Strokestown Park House Saturday May 10th | 8pm With a display of rare Famine documents. 2.00pm | Dr Perry McIntyre TEL: John O Driscoll 071 96330133 (Chair of the Australian Great Irish Roscommon’s County Youth Orchestra VENUE: Strokestown Park House presents a concert devoted to Classical Famine Commemoration Committee), TEL: John O Driscoll 071 96330133 music. Their woodwind, brass and strings ‘Remembering and commemorating NATIONAL FAMINE section will delight you with a variety of the Great Famine in Australia’ COMMEMORATION musical pieces. Hosted by Roscommon CEREMONY CHILDREN’S SOUP 2.30pm | Break County Council Sunday May 11th | 2.30 - 4.30pm KITCHEN WORKSHOP 3.00pm | Professor Terence Dooley VENUE: Percy French Hotel The 2014 National Famine Cookery Section - Receipes - Maize (Dept of History, NUI Maynooth & TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 Commemoration will take place in Bread, Lumper Mash Director of CSHIHE) ‘The making of Strokestown Park House at 2.30pm. the Irish National Famine Museum at Saturday May 10th | 12 - 2pm An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D., will Children’s cookery workshop for 6-12 Strokestown’. SINGING SESSION AT preside at the ceremony which will year olds at the Hub. Explore what 4.00pm | Professor Emeritus Vincent PAT MC HUGH’S PUB include the raising of the National families had to eat during the Famine Comerford Saturday May 10th | 10pm Flag and wreath laying ceremonies. The ceremony will include at Strokestown, for example, soyer soup, (Professor Emeritus Department of VENUE: Pat Mc Hugh’s Pub maize bread and lumper potatoes. History, NUI Maynooth), ‘The Great community- led events such as music TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 recitals, poetry readings and prayers. VENUE: The Hub Famine and the Great War: Writing the All are welcome to attend this event. TEL: Audrey Murphy 086 3147517 history of calamity” VENUE: Strokestown Park House Sunday VENUE: Strokestown Park House

TEL: John O Driscoll 071 9633013 MASS TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 Sunday May 11th | 11.30am FAMINE WALK VENUE: The Church of the Immaculate OF STROKESTOWN Conception, Strokestown Saturday May 10th | 5pm TEL: Una Ni Chuinn 090 6632543 Hosted by the Roscommon Historical Society VENUE: Meeting at SCDA Offices, Bawn Street TEL: Shane Lynskey 087 7796575

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Tower View Forge Hill

Park Court Caslin Way Caslin

Elphin Street

11 Egan’s Lane 12 10 Strokestown 2 8 House 5 N5 1 Church Street 7 N5 13 Strokestown Park and Irish 4 14 National Famine Museum 6 3

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1. Strokestown House 8. Strokestown Library 2. Strokestown Park and 9. Beirne’s Pub National Famine Museum 10. Sportsmans Inn 3. Hayden’s Cottage 4. The Hub 11. Pat Mc Hugh’s Pub 5. Strokestown Genealogy Centre 12. Egan’s Lane 6. Percy French Hotel 13. Central Bar 7. SCDA Offices, Bawn Street 14. Hanly’s Bar

Roscommon STROKESTOWN COMMUNITY County Council DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 16

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