Irish Famine Exhibition Dublin. Coffin Ships & Cruel Lords
I visited the Irish Famine Exhibition in Dublin last weekend. I was there at the invitation of Gerard McCarthy, the curator.
The exhibition is located on the top floor of the beautiful St Stephen's Green shopping centre and runs through the end of September.
The Famine Through Irish Eyes
In Ireland, we're all aware of the Famine. We learned about it in school. It pops up often in newspapers and online, so it's never far from our minds. But walking through the exhibit made me realize how much I either didn't know or had forgotten since my school days.
I emigrated too, but it was by choice. And it was in the comfort of an Aer Lingus plane. Not crammed into a coffin ship for weeks, uncertain if I'd even survive the journey, knowing they'd never see family or country ever again. No FaceTime back then!
Inside the Irish Famine Exhibition
The exhibit consists of 50 information panels that tell the story of the Irish Potato Famine. What I really like about the exhibition is that each panel makes a clear point. It doesn't go overboard with scholar-level history, but it's very well presented and easily digested. I found myself learning something new at each stop.
Sometimes museum curators are so passionate about their chosen topic that they want to show and tell absolutely everything. I can always tell this the minute I walk into any exhibition by the size of the font! The smaller it is, the more they want to tell you and the less I absorb. Maybe it's just me.
That's not to diminish the information presented here. It's just very well curated. There's a mixture of photos, text, historical documents, newspaper articles, and a 15-minute movie to watch.
History Repeating Itself
I found myself shaking my head as I walked around. It really shows how history always repeats itself.
The blight was introduced from overseas, and even though we could still have fed ourselves on our other crops, England exported our food to their own country. The infamous Lord Trevelyan summed up their attitude:
"The judgment of God sent the calamity to teach the Irish a lesson. That calamity must not be too much mitigated. The greater evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the Irish people."
We hear this kind of thing today about other poor people fleeing their countries. And sadly, it is often said by descendants of Irish Famine victims themselves.
Those descendants would do well to muster up more empathy when they consider that just like their own family, people often emigrate not because they want to, but because they have to.
"Emigration involved considerable expense; they walked to the port, took little or no provisions, were unable to proceed beyond the point of landing, and depended on charity until they found employment"
Why This Exhibition Matters
Are you of Irish descent? You owe it yourself to learn how famine, hunger, and policies forced your ancestors from their land to the New World. And shaped your life.
I've seen some of the famine emigrants' graves in the Irish cemetery close to my former US home. There are headstones bearing Irish names and their hometowns. It felt strange standing in the burning sun of the South knowing I was 6 feet from the remains of Irish people who had to leave home due to desperate lack of food.
But after walking through the Irish Famine exhibition, I feel I let them down by not knowing more about what made them undertake that desperate journey.
Worth Your Time
Talking to Gerard, this is a temporary home for the exhibit while he searches for a more permanent one. It's definitely worthy of a lasting home, and Gerard has a huge passion for it.
I really think anyone with Irish heritage should visit and learn more about the journeys that their families underwent so that they can live the privileged lives they have today.
Plan Your Visit
- Where: Top floor, St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin
- When: Now through end of September 2025
- Best for: Anyone interested in Irish history, especially those with Irish heritage
- Time needed: Allow about 45-60 minutes
You can find full details at The Irish Potato Famine Exhibition site
