FIRST GREAT IRISH FAMINE VOICES ROADSHOW TOURING THE USA AND CANADA
Bringing together Irish emigrants and descendants from the Great Famine of Ireland
New York 2nd March 2018: The Great Famine Voices Roadshow will be launched in New York on 9th April at the American Irish Historical Society. The Great Famine Voices Roadshow is a series of open house events in the United States and Canada that bring together Irish emigrants, their descendants, and members of their communities to share family memories and stories of coming from Ireland to North America, especially during the period of the Great Hunger and afterwards.
“We are excited about meeting people during the Great Famine Voices Roadshow and hearing their family stories about how their ancestors came from Ireland to start new lives in the United States,” declared Christine Kinealy, Director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, Connecticut.
“This Roadshow will provide a unique opportunity for Irish-Americans and Irish-Canadians to share their stories, strengthen their sense of ancestry, and historical and current Irish connections. All are welcome to these events”, said Caroilin Callery, a Director of the National Famine Museum in Strokestown Park, Ireland. “Over the past few years, we have been in search of stories from ‘the next Parish’ in the US, where so many of those who survived the Great Hunger – the biggest catastrophe of 19th century Europe – made new lives. We need to hear these stories.”
A selection of these family memories and stories will be made freely available on the Great Famine Voices online archive www.greatfaminevoices.ie
DETAILS OF ROADSHOW
April 9 American Irish Historical Society, New York (launch), 991 Fifth Avenue
April 11 Burns Library, Boston College, 4-8:30pm, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill
April 13 Glucksman Ireland House, New York University, 11am-4pm, 1 Washington Mews
April 15 Parkway Central Library, Philadelphia, 1pm-4:30pm, 1901 Vine Street
April 17 Knights of Columbus Museum, New Haven, Connecticut, 11am-3pm, 1 State Street
May 22 Madden Hall, St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, 5-9pm, 81 St. Mary Street
May 27 St. Gabriel’s Church (and Walk to the Stone), Montreal, 10am-5pm, 2157 Centre Street
The Great Famine Voices Roadshow in the USA and Canada will be hosted by the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park, Ireland, and the Irish Heritage Trust, an independent charity. The Roadshow will be held in partnership with Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, the American Irish Historical Society, and the University of Toronto. It is funded by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme.
For more information, see http://www.strokestownpark.ie/great-famine-voices-roadshow/
ENDS
For media inquiries contact: Turlough McConnell at tm@turloughmcconnell.com or Elizabeth Martin (917) 873-6623 ekm@turloughmconnell.com
