Between 1845 and 1852 Ireland went through one of its darkest times.

The potato in Ireland was the only food accessible to many poor people in Ireland at that time, so when the crop was infected with a disease known as blight, the country entered a famine known as the Great famine. The famine however was not so great as it killed one million people and displaced a million more and the Irish population was cut in half.

To escape the famine many people were forced to emigrate to America, Canada or Britain. Due to the high demand for emigration, boats leaving Ireland became heavily overcrowded and riddled with diseases. People died very frequently on these trips, somewhere around 20-30% of passengers on board these vessels perished whilst attempting to escape the famine. Due to the high number of deaths on these ships, they unofficially became known as coffin ships.

In a town called New Ross there is a replica of one of these coffin ships known as the Dunbrody. This replica will give you an idea of the appalling conditions in these ships.

Visiting the Dunbrody is a great experiences for all ages as it presents some of the darker times in Irish history but does so in a way that’s fun and exciting for all ages.  The Dunbrody tour involves actors who act as ship passengers and give you a first-hand account of life on these ships. For more information on the Dunbrody ship visit https://dunbrody.com/

For more information regarding our activities please feel free to contact us.