An online archive of stories on the Great Irish Famine from an unusual source has been unveiled at the University of Limerick.
Launched yesterday by Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, the archive translates historic annals from the French language and pays tribute to the French-Canadian Sisters of Charity, or Grey Nuns, who cared for Famine emigrants in Montreal in 1847.
The annals are said to contain extensive and highly evocative eyewitness accounts of the suffering of Famine migrants.
The archives tell the tale of the harrowing experiences of priests and nuns who went to their aid and sought to provide homes for stricken widows and orphans.
The main story in the archive is that of the Grey Nuns, which was published in French in 1898 and has been translated into English for the virtual archive.
The Minister also welcomed the news that President Michael D Higgins is to lead an official delegation at this year’s overseas Famine commemoration, which is due to take place in Boston on May 5th.
“I am delighted that President Higgins is leading the official representation at the Famine commemoration in Boston this year,” he said.
The new virtual famine archive at the University of Limerick is available online at: iti.ms/GHBNlb