Speech by the Taoiseach Simon Harris at the National Famine Commemoration 2024, Edgeworthstown, County Longford

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Minister, Cathaoirleach, Councillors, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen.

The Great Irish Famine destroyed lives, destroyed families, and destroyed the hopes and dreams of so many. It was our national tragedy, leaving scars that never fully healed. Our national trauma, that can never be forgotten.

Here in Edgeworthstown, we have heartbreaking stories about what the catastrophe meant, similar to those found in every community across the country.

We have the haunting story of one mother, carrying a baby on her back, desperately searching for food, who was ‘too much stupefied by hunger and despair’ to realise that her child was already dead.

The brilliant Irish-American writer, Peter Quinn, has described the terrible tragedy of this mother whose name we don’t know, but whose story we should never forget.

The great tragedy of the Famine was that there were too many similar stories – too many men, women and children dying in despair; too many men, women and children living in dread - broken and heartbroken.

And yet, even in the depths of despair, communities united, coming together to support those in greatest need. Here in Edgeworthstown we have accounts of how small farmers used to 'boil as much cabbage as their large pot would hold, sometimes adding a piece of bacon, which they gave to the starving poor who assembled at their doors'.

There was an unwritten rule. People only ate as much as they needed, giving whatever was left over to anyone poorer than themselves.

In Edgeworthstown, one woman provided meals to over a hundred children every morning at 11 o'clock. When the potato crop eventually recovered, those same children came back to say thank you. They no longer needed her help because they finally had hope.

We should never forget the kindness, the courage, and the compassion of those who faced unimaginable hardships. Nor should we forget the solidarity shown by communities – in Ireland and internationally - who came together to provide aid and support during the Great Irish Famine.

Maria Edgeworth, the renowned writer whose family founded this town, wrote her final novel—a children's book—to raise money for Famine relief. Leveraging her international reputation, she raised awareness and funds, attracting donations from the United States and around the world to support ‘her poor.’

Biddy Macken, who lived on Pound Street, worked for the Edgeworths and later recounted her memories of these terrible years. She described walking from house to house with Maria, carrying baskets of food and clothing to anyone who needed it. Maria was ‘barely able to walk then’ and had a short stick to help her along. She was often out of breath. But she never stopped. Even if ‘the fever’ was in a house she went into it anyway, ‘always cheerful’ and always able to find a way to comfort those who were suffering.

Edgeworthstown during the Famine years shows us the worst of the tragedy in terms of the misery, death and deprivation. It also shows us the very best of people in terms of the courage, compassion, and kindness shown by so many.

The stories are local, but the themes are universal.

The tragedy was national, but the lessons are global.

And they compel us to honour the memory of the dead, by doing everything we can to prevent similar tragedies elsewhere.

I cannot imagine the trauma of those who survived and felt guilty, even though it was not their fault and the blame lay elsewhere.

In the accounts of famines and national tragedies across the world – the Holodomor in Ukraine, the devastating famines in Bengal, in China, in Cambodia, in Ethiopia, in Somalia, we see the same questions being asked. Why did I survive and not them? There are too many accounts of those who felt helpless and powerless in the face of a terrible calamity, who believed that surviving was a curse.

In every single one of these tragedies, it was not their fault. It was never their fault. And yet, all the same, these tragedies left wounds that never were able to heal.

The curse of the Famine was that it starved Irish people of more than just the food needed for survival. It stripped them of their basic dignity and respect.

A people ignored, discarded, left to die.

We honour their suffering by remembering how and why they died, as we make a solemn vow to help those suffering around the world today. We best honour those who died by rededicating ourselves to saving the lives of others in the greatest of need. Our approach to global hunger must always be informed by our own history, by our memory of the Famine. By keeping that memory alive, and by applying the lessons of our own past, we can work to prevent future tragedies.

The story of the Famine, marked by massive loss of life and forced emigration, profoundly changed our country.

It struck at the heart of our culture, our language, and our national identity. The Famine left an indelible mark, shaping who we are and guiding our commitments to justice – as well as our determination to help those in the greatest of need.

As a nation, it is repellent to our psyche to witness famine unfolding in Gaza as a tool of war. Israel needs to step back and ensure the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid. This is the clear demand of Ireland, the international community and international law.

Le chéile, tá dóchas ann. Together, there is hope. That spirit of community provided the only hope – the only glimmer of light during the terrible darkness of the Famine.

As we reflect today on the immense suffering and resilience of those who lived and died during the Famine, let us recommit to honour their legacy not simply through remembrance but through action. We must apply the lessons of the Great Irish Famine to our world today, working to alleviate hunger and suffering wherever it exists.

By showing empathy, compassion, and solidarity with those in need, we can ensure that the spirit of all those who died lives on in our efforts to create a just and humane world.

‘An Gorta Mór’ is a tragedy that will never be forgotten. Our history demands that we do everything we can to make sure it is never repeated.

Thank you.