‘Hunger and Hope’ Book Launch in Epic

Jason King, Marita Conlon McKenna and Jim Callery of Strokestown Park House, Roscommon.

What a perfect summer’s evening to be on the Dublin quays overlooking the river Liffey for the launch of ‘Hunger and Hope’, a book all about the Irish Famine Migration from Strokestown Roscommon in 1847, which was written by Christine Kinealy, Jason King and Mark McGowan.

It is a comprehensive and fascinating study of the 1,490 tenants who were evicted from Strokestown Park House and Estate and accepted paid passage to Canada. Mostly women and children many of them unfortunately lost their lives on the journey or died of fever on Grosse Isle, but others began new lives and in time settled in Canada and North America.

It was lovely to meet up with old friends and get to see Jim Callery and his wife Adeline who have done so much to contribute to the ongoing huge interest and research into the Great Irish Famine with Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum.

Caroilin Callery helped to launch the book. There was a special treat as singer and musician Grainne Hunt performed a few songs from the new musical ‘In the Midst of Plenty ‘, written by Amy Day and directed by Anne –Marie O Sullivan, and produced by Enchanted Croi Theatre. The musical is based on the events in Stokestown during the famine. The show is currently on tour around Ireland until 28 July. I had the good fortune to see it in Mullingar only a few weeks ago.

Grainne Hunt, Amy Day and Anne Marie O Sullivan