"National Famine Memorial" Top 5 Page for this destination County Mayo Travelogue by sabsi

I loved this monument! I think it is really beautiful and shocking at the same time - perfect to commemorate the famine.

During this disaster 150 years ago Ireland's population declined from 8 million to only 4 million - many people died, others went to America to escape the hunger.

National Famine Memorial and Croagh Patrick

If you look up to the fields at the base of Croagh Patrick you see a straight wall all the way up the rocky bits. This wall which is of no use at all was built during the famine. People didn't want to give away money or food for nothing so they let the hungry people build the wall and they got paid for it.

National Famine Memorial

The memorial shows a "coffin ship" with skeletons emigrating to America. Co. Mayo was one of the counties which were really poor during the time of the famine.