FAMINE GRAVE
By the mid 19th century much of the Irish population was dependent on the potato as their principal source of food. A potato blight appeared in 1845 and within a year thousands were dying from starvation and associated diseases. More than a million people died and another million emigrated, mostly to America. Many were buried in mass graves, mostly unmarked. This rare marker stone records unnamed victims and the moving grasses reflect the masses of victims searching for food, work or simply trying to escape the stricken land.
“She was sick with famine fever and could not keep up.
He lifted her and put her on his back.
He walked like that west and west and north.
Until at nightfall under freezing stars they arrived.
In the morning they were both found dead”.