St Bridget's Cross has been
chosen as the logo for
Far from Famine because of its
historical and religious
connections to the Irish, in
particular Irish women, who
made the crosses from reeds.
The crosses were hung over
the doorway as a protection
against fire and evil.

 

Killarney, Co Kerry.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Stacked peat, Co Donegal.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Former gatehouse, Dunfanaghy
workhouse, Co Donegal.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Cauldron, Dunfanaghy workhouse.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Famine memorial, Ardmayle,
Co Tipperary. [Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Famine graveyard at Carrick-on-
Shannon workhouse, Co Leitrim.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Shanagolden, Co Limerick
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, Co Kerry.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Ennistymon Falls, Co Clare.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

 

Famine graveyard, Carrick-on-Shannon workhouse, Co Leitrim.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Irish Famine Memorial, Hyde Park
Barracks, Sydney.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Detail from Irish Famine Memorial
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

Detail from Irish Famine Memorial
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney.
[Cheryl Mongan]

 

 

The failure of the potato crop during the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1850 saw unprecedented numbers of men, women and children entering the Union workhouses. Amongst those who sought food and shelter in the workhouses as a means of survival, were many thousands of young women. Dispossessed of homes and families, nearly all having lost one, if not, both their parents or through circumstances beyond their control, the ability to care for themselves. A plan evolved to send considerable numbers of them to the Australian colonies.

The relocation of 4,114 of these young Irish women aged between fourteen and nineteen years, from famine-stricken Ireland to Sydney, Port Phillip and Adelaide was intended to have a three-fold purpose. The migration of the orphans reduced the numbers dependant upon the workhouses for shelter and sustenance, provided much-needed domestic servants to townspeople and settlers in the colonies and in part, was intended to address the imbalance of single men.

Upon their arrival the orphans often met with a mixed reception. While sympathetic employers, aware of the dire circumstances in their homeland, took the girls into their homes as indentured servants and trained them for domestic service, others merely sought cheap labour and denigrated them for their nationality, religion and poverty-stricken upbringing.Their stories embrace every human condition and emotion - from deprivation, hunger, separation and loss, to love, adventure, new opportunities and successes far beyond what they may expected when they set out from 120 workhouses spread across the then desperate Irish landscape.

Despite these initial setbacks the scheme which operated from 1848 to 1850, can and should be viewed as a success, especially when the young women were relocated in rural areas where they were able to use their existing skills in farm work and domestic duties to create new lives. They worked hard and saved money to assist with the passage to Australia of other family members. They married and raised families of their own, far from the famine that had instigated their removal from their homeland.

In just under two years, twenty ships carried 2,253 orphans to Sydney, 1,255 to Port Phillip and a further 606 to Adelaide.

If you have an Irish female forebear who arrived on one of the following ships it is possible that you are descended from this particular group of young women.

Ship	Port of Arrival	Date of Arrival
Earl Grey	Sydney	6 October 1848
Roman Emperor	Adelaide	23 October 1848
Lady Kennaway	Port Phillip	6 December 1848
Inchinnan	Sydney	20 February 1849
Digby	Sydney	4 April 1849
Pemberton	Port Phillip	14 May 1849
Inconstant	Adelaide	7 June 1849
Lady Peel	Sydney	3 July 1849
New Liverpool	Port Phillip	9 August 1849
Elgin	Adelaide	12 September 1849
William & Mary	Sydney	21 November 1849
Lismoyne	Sydney	29 November 1849
Diadem	Port Phillip	10 January 1850
Panama	Sydney	12 January 1850
Thomas Arbuthnot	Sydney	3 February 1850
Derwent	Port Phillip	25 February 1850
Eliza Caroline	Port Phillip/Geelong	31 March 1850
John Knox	Sydney	29 April 1850
Tippoo Saib/Sail	Sydney	29 July 1850
Maria	Sydney	1 August 1850

The Ramilies which arrived in Adelaide in March 1849 may have carried a small number of orphans however these young women do not appear to have recorded as being part of the scheme and are likely to have come from English workhouses.

To celebrate the arrival of the first female Irish Famine orphans and to commemorate the lives of these 4,114 young women who left their homeland to make new lives in the Australian colonies, a special event will be held to coincide with the 160th anniversary of the arrival of the first ship, the Earl Grey.The organisers of the popular Shamrock in the Bush have created a special program of historical and cultural presentations for the descendants of these young women, to mark this significant occasion during the International Year of the Potato.

A brief overview of the program and inclusions for the event -

A panel of well-known speakers, including Irish archaeologist and historian Michael Gibbons, feature in a program of historical presentations related to the famine orphans,

Workshops, music, verse and other cultural activities will celebrate Irish heritage,

Participants are invited to share their stories of objects, documents and images related to the famine orphans,

Specialist consultant to assist with research queries,

Five nights accommodation with full board,

Dinner in historic Galong House,

Ceili in the village hall with the Sydney Irish Ceili Dancers and musicians,

Dinner wines for the official dinner and ceili,

An ecumenical thanksgiving service for the lives of the Irish famine orphans,

A pilgrimage to historic Galong cemetery where an orphan from the Thomas Arbuthnot was laid to rest in 1855,

Concert featuring Irish music and dancing,

Commemorative tree planting,

Conference package,

Special commemorative memento of the event,

Special offer for Far from Famine participants - Echoes of Irish Australia: Rebellion to Republic,

Draw of raffle - Twin ensuite accommodation package for two at Shamrock in the Bush 2009 - see details

PROGRAM

There is always a heavy demand for places at Irish events at St Clement's and accommodation for this residential gathering is limited to 100 participants.

Commemorative events day - Monday 6 October.To enable others to participate in the commemorative events a day package is available for the anniversary day on Monday 6 October. Lunch, morning and afternoon teas are included in the registration fee of $55.00. For further details see the program.

The venue with its connections to Irish Australia and the famine orphans is ideally suited to this event. St Clement's is located a short distance from the tiny village of Galong, free from the distractions of the workplace and everyday life. It is the perfect place to relax, enjoy the expansive rural landscape in the company of others with similar interests. Participants are offered a choice of accommodation - single or twin rooms with shared bathroom facilites and shared twin ensuite rooms. Please note there are no single rooms with ensuite facilities.

Further details of the venue, accommodation, surroundings and directions are found elsewhere on this website.

The all inclusive registration fee for the event includes five (5) nights accommodation, all meals (including morning & afternoon teas), dinner wines (Sat & Sun nights), all seminars and workshops, entertainment, conference pack, etc. Cost of the commemorative events on Monday 6 October are included in the registration fee of residentail participants.

Bookings will be secured by the receipt of the registration form and the payment of a minimum deposit of $200 per person with the balance payable by 15 September 2008. Cancellations received after that date will attract a cancellation fee of $50.00.

Cheques are to be made payable to St Clement's Retreat and Conference Centre.

It is essential that you advise the name of your orphan forebear and the ship of her arrival.

Preference will be given to registrations of descendants of orphans until 15 August 2008. After that date registrations will be open to all with an interest in the subject.

 

Registration fees for the event:

	Paid in full by 30 August 2008	Paid in full by 15 September 2008
Single room (shared bathrooms)	$540.00 per person*	$570.00 per person*
Shared twin room (shared bathrooms)	$540.00 per person*	$570.00 per person*
Shared twin ensuite room	$610.00 per person*	$640.00 per person*
Publication - Echoes of Irish Australia: Rebellion to Republic	Special price for participants - available at the event	$30.00 per copy
Raffle tickets - 2 places at Shamrock in the Bush 2009, ensuite room etc - see fundraising	$5.00 each	$5.00 each
Commemorative Day only Monday 6 October	Monday 29 Sept or phone 02 6226 2708 to arrange	$55.00 per person

 

REGISTRATION FORM

 

TRANSPORT If you are attending and able to assist with transport for one or two passengers from either Sydney or Canberra please let us know

 

Please direct all enquiries regarding the event, availability of accommodation, payment etc to the organisers as St Clement's Retreat and Conference Centre is not able to assist with enquiries.

 

This event has been made possible by the assistance of
Culture Ireland, the Irish State Agency that promotes
the best of Ireland’s arts and culture internationally
and assists in the development of Ireland’s
international cultural relations.

Far from Famine is a special event
in the International Year of the
Potato - see www.potato2008.org

This page last updated: 7 October 2008