Gorta Visitor Centre in Swatragh hosts powerful tribute to Irish emigrants

Acclaimed historian and curator Loretto Leary (Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum, Fairfield, CT) drew a full house to Friels Bar and Restaurant in Swatragh, on Thursday, September 18.

The moving historical talk commemorated the one-year anniversary of Gorta Swatragh’s Famine Story visitor centre.

The event, “The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island,” transported listeners back to the harrowing days when Derry and Irish families fled famine, risking perilous journeys in search of hope across the Atlantic.

Loretto’s engaging presentation delved into the lesser-known fate of Irish Famine immigrants at New York’s Staten Island Ferry Terminal, once the site of the Marine Hospital and Quarantine Station.

She recounted how many, weakened from hunger and disease, did not survive the quarantines, their final resting places now hidden beneath the city’s busy waterfront.

These mass graves serve as poignant reminders of the silent sacrifices and indomitable courage embodied by emigrants, linking Derry’s past to global narratives of survival and transformation.

Before and after the talk, guests enjoyed free access to Gorta Visitor Centre, where artist Kieran Tuohy’s Trail of Tears sculpture, that he brought with him resonated with visitors.

The work powerfully depicts the shared history of Irish Famine emigrants and the Choctaw tribe, drawing deep connections between communities marked by sorrow and generosity.

The centre’s immersive exhibits also spotlight Dr. Mooney’s surgery and the original famine soup kitchen that served Swatragh during the Great Hunger.

The anniversary event highlighted Gorta’s role as a place for reflection, learning, and dialogue—bringing together locals and international visitors to honour those whose journeys shaped both Ireland and America.

The evening was a testament to the resilience and unity of the Irish people, with Leary’s storytelling leaving a lasting impression on those in attendance.