Community pays tribute to Famine victims during walk

A selection of people who took part in the walk

Members of the local community gathered on Wednesday to take part in a special 'Famine Walk' organised by Action from Ireland (Afri) in association with IT Carlow and Carlow County Council.

Among Afri's aims are the promotion of global justice and peace and the reduction of poverty and last year they hosted their first Carlow Famine commemoration. Following its success, the decided to make it an annual tradition and this year's commemoration began at IT Carlow where Fr Martin Smith welcomed the crowd and proceedings began with some music.

The walk was led by Sakhile Heron from South Africa and Gary White Deer, a Choctaw whose tribe sent $170 to Ireland to help the famine relief during the mid 19th century.

The walk finished at the Workhouse Burial Plot which adjoinis IT Carlow on Green Road where Joe Murray, Co-ordinator of Afri, and Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council Fergal Browne addressed the crowd.

Cllr Browne said that the council were committed to maintaining the area which serves to remind us of the 3,000 victims of hunger and disease who died in Carlow during the 1840s.