The Famine Statues

The Famine Statues

Located on the Custom House Quay in the Dublin Docklands of Ireland

The bodies of these sculptures are frail, and their faces appear frightened. Their eyes are wide as they look up at the massive ships they are about to embark. They clutch onto what is left of their belongings as they board the ships to America, leaving their cottages, farms, businesses, and family behind them. They are positioned in a sporadic manor, adding a realistic factor, as there would have been hundreds lined up to embark the ship. In fact, one of the first voyages of the famine occurred on the “Perseverance” which sailed from that very dock in 1846. 210 passages made this journey to New York City.

Rowan Gillespie

1997

Statues