This article is from page 19 of the 2012-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
A MAJOR event of national significance will be coming to Kilrush next May if Clare County Council’s bid to bring the National Famine Commemoration to the West Clare capital in 2013 is successful.
The local authority has formally backed Kilrush’s bid to host commemoration day, which was originally floated at a meeting of the Kilrush Town Council last May by the local historical society.
Last month the county council invited local and community organisations, historical societies, local Famine Commemoration Committees, schools and other interested parties to propose a location in County Clare to host this event in 2013.
Three submissions were received from Killaloe/Ballina, Tuamgraney/ Scariff and Kilrush, and were assessed by a specially appointed panel.
“Kilrush’s well known links with the Famine will make it a solid con- tender to host the National Famine Commemoration next year,” explained council official Congella McGuire.
“There were 20,000 people evicted in the Kilrush Poor Law Union between 1847 and 1850, representing one quarter of the entire Union population. The majority of the evictees suffered dreadfully in the work house and subsequently died. Illustrations from Kilrush at the time of the famine featured in the London Illustrated News and these illustrations are the best recognised images of the famine conditions in Ireland.
“A formal submission on behalf of the county will now go forward for Kilrush as the bid to host the 2013 National Famine Commemoration in County Clare. We will work with Kilrush to submit a very strong expression of interest to the National Commemoration Committee before the 5th October 2012. I have no doubt there will be other bids from the Munster area but Kilrush certainly has very strong credentials to be the host for 2013,” she added. 30/09/2012