An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 8 | by CPL LEE COyLE PhotoS by SGT MICK BURKE W hile the history of the Great Famine (An Gorta Mór) of 1845 to 1852 is taught in every school in the country, the impact it had on the population is rarely truly understood. Now, a new bus tour telling the harrowing story has begun in College Green, Dublin. An Cosantóir was invited along for the maiden voyage of The Perseverance – Fleeing the Famine tour. The tour is based on ships of the time, and one in particu- lar, The Perseverance, which, like many others at the time, changed its cargo from goods to people in an effort to capitalise on the disaster. (The smell of the ship's last cargo of sugar, rum and molasses was most likely still in the air as the first passengers came aboard.) These vessels were soon nicknamed 'coffin ships'. The bottom deck of the tour bus comprises a squalid room with a mother cradling her child, and the top deck is cladded to resemble the inner hull of a wooden ship. The sound of water lapping against the imaginary hull played over the PA system, adding to the experience as we were greeted by actors dressed in period costume, who wished us well on our journey. As we pulled away from our 'port', a list of names, ages and occupations was read over the PA system from the passenger manifesto of The Perserverance's maiden voyage in 1846, carrying 210 passengers from Dublin and landing in America on St Patrick's Day. On the tour we heard about the many causes of the famine, ranging from the potato blight to crop failures, high land rents, and relief not reaching Ireland. We also heard newspaper articles from the time; heart breaking state- ments from those affected; and even from members of the British Parliament. A quick history lesson on the potato was a nice addition to the tour and gave some perspective. One of the tour stops was at the North Dublin Union Workhouse. As people were forced to give up their land they flocked to the towns and cities to find work. Most ultimately ended up in a workhouse with their families, but even this was a temporary measure. Many were forced to emigrate, while unscrupu- lous landlords and agents tricked others into it. During the first six months it is esti- mated that 100,000 men, women and chil- dren fled the country. On board the ships, conditions worsened as the amount of human cargo was increased to maximise profits. The month- long journey to Amer- ica was dangerous and with the cramped and filthy conditions disease was common, taking the lives of 20% of the emigrants. The last stop on the tour was the Famine Memorial at Custom House Quay, an impressive sculpture depicting emigrants with skinny frames and looks of despair as they walk towards the coffin ships. The artist, Rowan Gillespie, presented a similar sculpture to Toronto, where many who fled sought refuge. Such was the devastation of the Great Famine over 150 years ago that the country's population is not expected to reach pre-Famine levels for at least an- other 50 years. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to anybody who has an interest in Irish history. to book a tour or find out more please visit: www.fleeingthefamine.ie or www.hiddendublinwalks.com FlEEing tHE FAminE

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