Earlier this year, I undertook a trip to Westport Co. Mayo for a few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of a hectic few weeks. It is a place I had visited as a child many years ago, but as years pass, memories fade easily. So I decided to re-acquaint myself with the area once more.
It is a beautiful area to explore, amazing landscape that makes you stop in your tracks and spend time taking it all in. One such place is called Doolough Valley a few miles out of Louisburgh. It's scenery is truly breathtaking , some of which I have tried to captured in my images. The area itself although beautiful is not without a tragic history of a terrible event which occurred during the famine on Friday 30th March 1849.
An inspection that was to be held in Louisburgh for the purpose of verifying people whom were in receipt of outdoor relief. For some reason, this inspection never took place. The two officials concerned had moved on to stay in Delphi Lodge some 12 miles south of Louisburgh.
The people who had gathered for the inspection were told to appear at Delphi Lodge at 7.00am the following day if they wished to continue to receive relief. For much of that night and day it is told that hundreds of men, women and children destitute and starving undertook this horrendous journey in very bad weather. On completion of their journey to Delphi Lodge to verify their claim for relief they were offered no food. They set off on their return journey to Louisburgh exhausted and in a completely debilitated state, which for many was to turn out to be a fatal trip .
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| David Kennedy Photography (C) All rights reserved |
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| David Kennedy Photography (C) All rights reserved |
It is a beautiful area to explore, amazing landscape that makes you stop in your tracks and spend time taking it all in. One such place is called Doolough Valley a few miles out of Louisburgh. It's scenery is truly breathtaking , some of which I have tried to captured in my images. The area itself although beautiful is not without a tragic history of a terrible event which occurred during the famine on Friday 30th March 1849.
 |
| David Kennedy Photography (C) All rights reserved |
An inspection that was to be held in Louisburgh for the purpose of verifying people whom were in receipt of outdoor relief. For some reason, this inspection never took place. The two officials concerned had moved on to stay in Delphi Lodge some 12 miles south of Louisburgh.
The people who had gathered for the inspection were told to appear at Delphi Lodge at 7.00am the following day if they wished to continue to receive relief. For much of that night and day it is told that hundreds of men, women and children destitute and starving undertook this horrendous journey in very bad weather. On completion of their journey to Delphi Lodge to verify their claim for relief they were offered no food. They set off on their return journey to Louisburgh exhausted and in a completely debilitated state, which for many was to turn out to be a fatal trip .
According to local tradition, up to 400 people may have perished between Louisburgh and Delphi; many of them so light and weak that they were blown into the lake by the strong wind. Corpses were found by the roadside, some of them with grass in their mouths from one last futile attempt at nourishment.
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| David Kennedy Photography (C) All rights reserved |
There are two memorials on the shore of Doo lough – which means “black lake” – one a simple stone commemorating the Doolough tragedy of 1849, the other quoting Gandhi: “How can men feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow beings?”
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| David Kennedy Photography (C) All rights reserved |
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