On August 20, 1995, this became the very first memorial in Ireland dedicated to what was known as "The Great Hunger".
It tells the story of a note that was pinned to the shirt of an abandoned boy who was left at a workhouse on Feb. 25, 1848. The heartbreaking note read "Gentlemen, There is a little boy named Michael Rice of Lahinch aged about four years. He is an orphan, his father having died last year and his mother has expired on last Wednesday night, who is now about being buried without a coffin. Unless ye make some provision for such. The child in question is now at the Workhouse Gate expecting to be admitted, if not it will starve. Robs. S. Constable"
On one side of the sculpted memorial I saw the likeness of Michael Rice standing in front of the workhouse, hoping to get inside. Another side of the memorial shows the head of a sad woman whose disembodied hands looked to me as though they were clenched in rage.
The Potato Famine was caused by a blight and when the crop failed nearly 12% of the Irish population died and over two million people sought better lives overseas.
The date of dedication marked 150 years from the start of the famine, and the memorial's location is near the site of an old workhouse were over 20,000 died and a mass children's graveyard exists.
This one will break your heart. read more