Laois County Council is to call on the Minister for Tourism to consider Abbeyleix as one of the host venues for Irish Famine Commemoration Day in 2026.
The call came following a motion on the matter that was put down at Monday’s monthly meeting by Labour’s Marie Tuohy.
Addressing the meeting, Cllr Tuohy said: “The Great Famine (An Gorta Mor) in Ireland was between 1845 to 1852, the single most devastating event in modern Irish history.
“Between one million died and a million immigrated, many to Britain, the United States of America, Canada and Australia.
“Workhouses become overcrowded, disease spread rapidly, and entire rural communities were emptied. The Famine reshaped Ireland permanently, socially, culturally and politically. Laois, then Queens County, experienced a sharp decline in population.”
Cllr Tuohy then outlined why she believes Abbeyleix is an ideal venue.
She said: “Abbeyleix stands as one of the most historically fitting and symbolically powerful places in Laois to host the annual Famine commemoration.
“During The Famine, Abbeyleix suffered the same hunger, hardship and loss that swept the country.
“The De Vesci family are remembered locally for their active role in helping the population during the famine. The fountain in market square stands as a memorial.
“The Tonduff Cillin and the Gate to Heaven are ancient burial sites which are now marked and honoured. The memorial stone and reflection seat at the back of the hospital marks history including the life of a 6-year-old boy.
“The 6-year-old boy, John Fitzgerald, died of hunger and neglect on the roadside on the 31st of May, 1886. He was seen days before his death, frail and failing in his mothers’ arms.
“Let’s be clear, The Famine didn’t end in 1852, in lingered in the lives of the poor, displaced and the forgotten. Abbeyleix wasn’t just a place of suffering in the 1840s, it remains a witness to its aftermath for decades.
“In 2026, we will mark 181 years since the beginning of The Great Famine. Abbeyleix is ready, it has the history and the stories and has made huge efforts to publicly acknowledge and remember those times in history.
“Their efforts should be recognised by selecting them as the 2026 venue to host The Irish Famine Commemoration Day in May 2026.
“Let Abbeyleix be the place where Ireland gathers to remember.”
Cllr Tuohy received widespread support in the chamber with Fine Gael’s Councillor John King suggesting that any event could also incorporate Donaghmore Workhouse.
Donaghmore Workhouse was built to house the most desperate people of County Laois.
Paid for by a tax on local property owners, the workhouse was deliberately made as unattractive as possible so that its only residents would be those who had lost all hope.
By the time the Donaghmore Workhouse opened in 1853, many of the poorest of the area had already perished or emigrated. The workhouse was probably only filled for a few years before it closed in 1886.
It is now a museum and it was agreed to work to see if something involving it could be worked into this proposal.
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