Follow In their Footsteps

The National Famine Way marks the poignant ill-fated story of assisted emigration in Ireland during the Famine in 1847 when 1,490 poor and hungry were forced to walk the 165km from the Strokestown Park Estate, County Roscommon to Custom House Quay in Dublin. They travelled onward to Liverpool and almost a third of them perished crossing the Atlantic in "coffin ships" bound for Canada.

The National Famine Way is a digitally and physically waymarked 167km National walking trail that connects the National Famine Museum in Strokestown Park, Co. Roscommon, with Rowan nfw_darraghs Famine memorial on Custom House Quay in Dublin along the banks of the Royal Canal. The trail ends near the Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship and EPIC The Irish Emigration Walkers can set their own pace and follow in the footsteps of the 1,490 tenants who were forced to emigrate from Strokestown to Canada on some of the worst of the coffin The trail is waymarked with 30 plinths and pairs of 19th Century bronze shoe sculptures.

The walk is open to The entire walk can be completed at your own pace in your own time.

In 2019, a group of walkers Professor Christine Kinealy (Quinnipiac University), Professor Mark McGowan (University of Cathal Poirtier, Anthony Russell, Caroilin Callery (Irish Heritage Trust), and Dr Jason King (Irish Heritage followed in the footsteps of Strokestown's missing 1,490 emigrants and completed the 165 km trail in six days, to launch the National Famine Way. Watch their daily progress in the fascinating videos They were shot at key Famine sites along the route.

packages

Historical Package

Book your with the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park and start your walk with a visit to the Here you will immerse yourself in the story of the Great Hunger, the eviction, migration and the assisted emigration scheme that was enacted by Major Denis Before setting off on your walk you will collect your National Famine Way Passport, Guide and Map which will guide you along the route to Dublin and highlight the amenities and relevant famine stories The guide is supported with a National Famine Way app.

Famine Way Tours

Pre-Booked Package

Book a pre-booked package with Famine Way Tours. Ideal for walking clubs, families and groups of all sizes. With a range of supports available for larger groups including guides and vehicle support. Famine Way Tours will plan your bespoke group tour to your requirements.

Famine Way Tours are independent of the National Famine Museum and the National Famine Museum cannot be responsible in respect of any bookings made via Famine Way Tours.

Mise FAlongin

The National Famine Way is a public, waymarked 167km national walking trail that is open to You are very welcome to visit all or any section of the canal at any time that suits you. However, for truly follow in their footsteps we do recommend following in the footsteps of the 1,490 who left a very rural existence in Roscommon in 1847 and arrived into a bustling, smelly Dublin tired and very hungry.
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Strokestown Park House
Strokestown Park House
Shoe Stories
Shoe Stories
Famine Way Tours
Famine Way Tours