Bid to host Famine commemoration

County Clare is bidding to host the 2013 National Famine Commemoration, which is due to take place in Munster. The commemoration is held in a different province each year, having been hosted in Leinster (Drogheda, County Louth) this year.

Clare County Council has announced its intention to make a submission and select a proposed location in the county to host the event in 2013. The local authority is this week placing advertisements in local media inviting community ­organisations, historical societies, local Famine commemoration committees, schools and other interested parties to propose a location in Clare to host the event.
The National Famine Commemoration Day, an annual observance commemorating the Great Famine, has been organised officially by the Government since 2009. The main commemoration event is held in a different place each year, rotating among the four provinces.
Events at the main venue usually include lectures, arts events and visits to places connected to the Famine. Local events also take place countrywide while a minute’s silence is encouraged for schools and workplaces.
This week’s call for submissions from Clare County Council coincides with an exhibition at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis that concentrates on the Famine in Clare (1845-52).  According to Rene Franklin, Clare County archivist, “The Famine in Clare exhibition explores each union and its electoral divisions. Other than numerous auxiliary workhouses, Clare had eight principal workhouses in Ennis, Ennistymon, Tulla, Corofin, Kilrush, Tulla, Scariff and Ballyvaughan.”
Information as to the name, sex, age and cause of death from the workhouses of Kilrush and Ennistymon from 1850-51 are displayed, giving viewers an insight into the misery and suffering famine victims endured.
Information is also provided on the mass evictions that took place during and after the Famine.
“From 1849 until 1854 it is believed nearly one tenth of the Clare population had the misfortune to be forcefully expelled from their home. West Clare was one of the worst areas for evictions in Ireland, where landlords turned thousands of families out and demolished homes. In Kilrush, between 1847-1848, the population was ­reduced from 80,000 to 60,000. Up to 1,000 people were evicted from one of the Vandeleur estates alone in the latter part of the 1840s,” she said.
The exhibition is organised by Clare County Archives and runs until September 9.
Meanwhile, submissions or observations in relation to Clare’s bid to host the 2013 National Famine Commemoration may be made in writing to the Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Planning and Enterprise Development, Clare County Council, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, County Clare.
Submissions/observations may also be emailed to forwardplan@clarecoco.ie or by fax to 065 6892071. Submissions made must include the full name and address of the person making the submission.  Closing date for receipt of submissions is 4pm on Friday, September 7.