rom 1848 - 1950 over 6 million adults and children emigrated
from Ireland - over 2.5 million departed from Cobh, making it the single most important
port of emigration.
This exodus from Ireland was
largely as a result of poverty, crop failures, the land system and a lack of opportunity.
Irish emigration reached unprecedented proportions during the famine as people fled from
hunger and disease.
Many famine
emigrants went initially to British North America (now Canada) because of fare structures
and government regulations, but the majority subsequently settled in the United States.
The famine resulted as a consequence of widespread potato crop failure. Failure of
the crop was not unusual in Ireland so the partial failures in 1845 did not cause
particular concern. In 1846 the potato crop failed completely and in the years
1847-1849
there was either total or partial crop failure of whatever potato crop could be planted.
Escape was seen by many as the only chance for survival : between 1845 and 1851 over
1,500,000 people emigrated from Ireland This was more than had left the country in the
previous half century..
ocated outside the Cobh Heritage Centre is the statue of
Annie Moore and her two brothers.
Annie Moore became the first ever emigrant
to be processed in Ellis Island when it officially opened on 1st January 1892.
Annie and her brothers sailed from Queenstown on the SS Nevada on the 20th December
and arrived after 12 days of travelling in steerage. The statue outside Cobh Heritage
Centre was unveiled by President Mary Robinson on the 9th February 1993. A similar statue
of Annie can be found in Ellis Island, New York which represents not only the honour of
her being the first emigrant to pass through Ellis Island but also stands as a symbol of
the many Irish who have embarked on that very same journey.
rom 1848 - 1950 over 6 million adults and children emigrated
from Ireland - over 2.5 million departed from Cobh, making it the single most important
port of emigration.
ocated outside the Cobh Heritage Centre is the statue of
Annie Moore and her two brothers.
