National Famine Memorial, Memorial in Murrisk, Ireland
The National Famine Memorial is a bronze sculpture in Murrisk, Ireland, at the foot of Croagh Patrick with views over Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It shows a coffin ship with skeletal figures in the rigging, cast to recall the many people who died at sea while fleeing hunger.
The monument was created after the Irish Government chose Murrisk as the site for a national famine memorial in 1996 and commissioned sculptor John Behan. President Mary Robinson unveiled the finished work in July 1997.
The skeletal shapes in the rigging give a direct, physical form to the memory of mass emigration, and visitors today often pause near the hull to look at individual figures. The choice of a ship, rather than a standing cross or plaque, ties the memorial to the coast where many families last saw Ireland.
The site is outdoors and open without barriers, so you can walk right up to the sculpture and move around it slowly. The ground can be damp and wind from the bay is common, so wear sturdy shoes and bring a layer for changing weather.
The term coffin ship refers to overcrowded sailing vessels where disease spread quickly during the Atlantic crossing. Here the ship itself becomes a graveyard, with bodies tangled among ropes and masts rather than resting below deck.
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