Striking memorial to the victims of the famine

The National Famine Memorial sits at the foot of Croagh Patrick with commanding views over the Atlantic Ocean. This striking sculpture was crafted by John Behan and commemorates the millions who perished during the Great Famine of 1845 – 52. It depicts a “coffin ship” with skeleton bodies in the rigging. Coffin ships was a term used to describe the horrendously overcrowded boats which left our shores with emigrants fleeing the famine in dire and unhygienic conditions. The monument was unveiled by President Mary Robinson in 1997.