The Western Australia Irish Famine Commemoration (WAIFC) was established in 2016 with a plan to build a memorial to commemorate the Great Irish Famine (1845-1850) and the Irish who came to Western Australia as a result of An Gorta Mor (The Great Hunger).
Between 1845 and 1851, the population of Ireland was devastated by a terrible potato famine. Historians estimate that as a result of the tardy and inadequate British government response to the "great hunger," one million or more Irish men, women and children died. One and one-half million more Irish emigrated to Australia and other countries. This tragic and profoundly important event in the history of Ireland and the world should be remembered and better understood by this present and all future generations.
The WAIFC is a non-profit organisation. Our specific purpose is to provide the people of Western Australia with a deeper understanding of the effects of the "Great Famine," both on Ireland and on the thousands of emigrants who eventually came to this state.
The committee hope to raise funds to erect a permanent memorial as a tribute to the famine's numerous victims and celebrates the outstanding contributions of their descendants to Western Australia.
This memorial will be prominently located at a site to be decided in Western Australia. The committee will continue to offer a series of substantive historical presentations relating to the famine.
The committee’s objective is to keep the memory of the girls alive by holding an annual commemoration day, giving information talks, maintaining a Website/Facebook page and producing a newsletter.
By publicising and memorialising "the famine" and its consequences at annual Famine Commemorations throughout the state, we hope that our fellow Western Australians from many different national backgrounds will be moved to reflect upon the universal lessons of history and to act, when need be, to avert similar human calamities in the future.
Keep the memory of the girls alive by supporting us and our commemoration events.
Between 1845 and 1851, the population of Ireland was devastated by a terrible potato famine. Historians estimate that as a result of the tardy and inadequate British government response to the "great hunger," one million or more Irish men, women and children died. One and one-half million more Irish emigrated to Australia and other countries. This tragic and profoundly important event in the history of Ireland and the world should be remembered and better understood by this present and all future generations.
The WAIFC is a non-profit organisation. Our specific purpose is to provide the people of Western Australia with a deeper understanding of the effects of the "Great Famine," both on Ireland and on the thousands of emigrants who eventually came to this state.
The committee hope to raise funds to erect a permanent memorial as a tribute to the famine's numerous victims and celebrates the outstanding contributions of their descendants to Western Australia.
This memorial will be prominently located at a site to be decided in Western Australia. The committee will continue to offer a series of substantive historical presentations relating to the famine.
The committee’s objective is to keep the memory of the girls alive by holding an annual commemoration day, giving information talks, maintaining a Website/Facebook page and producing a newsletter.
By publicising and memorialising "the famine" and its consequences at annual Famine Commemorations throughout the state, we hope that our fellow Western Australians from many different national backgrounds will be moved to reflect upon the universal lessons of history and to act, when need be, to avert similar human calamities in the future.
Keep the memory of the girls alive by supporting us and our commemoration events.