A poignant trail which marks important sites in Merseyside associated with the Irish Famine is being revived with modern technology.
The trail was first developed more than 20 years ago and is marked with plaques at locations around the city, which reflect the 1.3m Irish people that came to and through Liverpool to escape the devastating potato famine which ravaged their country from 1845 to 1849.
So close is Liverpool's connection with the island of Ireland, that it has led to the city being called Ireland's "33rd county", "East Dublin" and "East Belfast."
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Since it was first originated, some of the sites from the Great Famine Trail have been lost. The revitalisation of the trail includes a print-at-home map, and an enhanced Google map and book, providing a history of the Trail's sites.
Alongside the maps, there is now a book entitled Liverpool Irish Famine Trail: Revive, available in hardback or e-book. The book is not a complete history of The Great Hunger (An Gorta Mór), though it does track stories dating from this time, specific to sites of importance in Merseyside.
The book gives the history and offers stories for each of the original 15 sites, which are:
- The Liverpool Irish Famine Memorial, Located in the gardens of St Luke's Church
- Pleasant Street School, Pleasant Street
- The Brownlow Hill Workhouse, Hart Building, Mount Pleasant
- The Paupers Graveyard, Mulberry Street
- Agnes Jones House, Catharine Street
- Kitty Wilkinson’s Grave, St James’s Gardens at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
- St Patrick’s Chapel, Park Place, Park Road
- James Larkin’s birthplace, The Globe, Park Road
- The Pilotage Building, Canning Pier
- The Relief Station, Fenwick Street
- Father Nugent’s Statue, St John’s Gardens
- Lace Street
- ‘Dandy Pat’ Memorial, St Anthony’s Church, Scotland Road
- Clarence Dock, Regent Road
- Price Street, Birkenhead.
The Irish famine trail was developed by Liverpool Irish Festival, in collaboration with the volunteer History Research Group.
Founded in 2003, the Festival brings Liverpool and Ireland closer together, using arts and culture. This year's event runs from October 20-30, with details to follow in August.
The digital and print-at-home maps are available from the Festival website here.
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