My Story

Famine Trail Walk - Veterans Walking for Veterans

In 1847, 227 families were evicted from their homes on Strokestown Estate in County Roscommon. This led to 1,490 men, women and children who were, for purely financial reasons, forced to walk the 170 Km from Roscommon to Dublin. It was here that they were put aboard ships, sent to Liverpool and then forced to board coffin ships bound for Canada. Over two-thirds died on the journey. More info on the Famine Trail website: https://nationalfamineway.ie/

Several Defence Forces Veterans, Jimmy Fullam, Peter Malone, Peter Downes, Ken Cleary, John Rabbitte, and Hugh O'Neill have joined together to take on this 170Km walk from Strokestown, Co Roscommon to Custom House Quay, in the Dublin City Docklands from Monday 13th May to Sunday 19th May. 

During the walk, several Defence Forces volunteers will join them, including Capt Andy O'Neill, Coy Sgt Tommy Sheahan, Sgt Richie Holmes, Cpl Anthony O'Donoghue, and US Veteran Retd Lt Col Bryan Bean. A team of veterans will support the walkers including James Kearns, Anthony Feeney, Kevin Martin and Mick Kinahan.

They aim to raise funds for other veterans who have become homeless and/or who require assistance, which ONE provides.

ONE’s primary objective is to support the needs of Irish veterans by the provision of accommodation to homeless and other veterans in need of such domestic accommodation in its Veterans’ Homes and the provision of other advice and support to veterans, in particular Mental Health advice, through its nationwide network of Branches and Veterans’ Support Centres. Visit ONE-Veterans.Org for more info.

Main image from Famine (1997), a sculpture by Rowan Gillespie commemorating the Great Famine