Dunbrody

William Graves began a trading company that sailed from Ireland to Northern America. At first, the 15 ships they owned were only in the business of trade. However, it became a transporting business once the potato blight struck in Ireland. One third of the Irish population was dependent on

the potato crop, and so the airborne disease left much of Ireland desolate and empty. Over one and a half million people died from starvation or starvation related diseases. Because of this, over 200,000 people emigrated between 1846 and 1847. William Graves brought many families out of their impoverished lives in Ireland to a new land of new beginnings.

Captain John Williams, a Welshman, was just 27 when he took over the Dunbrody in 1848. He was to be the captain of that ship for the next 20 years. He was paid a salary of around 100 pounds a year. The ship itself was built in only 6 months and was originally due to depart for New York on 3rd of April, 1849, but by April 7th the ship was still lying at anchor in the port-- loaded and waiting. The weather prevented the vessel from leaving the dock, but there was also a problem with stowaways coming aboard the ship. Williams, unlike many captains of famine ships, seemed to genuinely care for his passengers. When the passengers got sick he would personally nurse them back to health in order to not encourage the spread of disease.

During the Great Famine in Ireland from 1845-1851, impoverished families sought emigration to America and Canada in order to find a better life. They were fleeing the famine-covered lands that would eventually see the disappearance of over a million and a half people. The population before the famine was near 8 million; the population after was nearly 6 million.

The cost of passage was 3-4 pounds, which was equivalent to two months wages for a tenant farmer. For over thirty years, the Dunbrody sailed back and forth across the Atlantic, carrying passengers to North America and returning with timber, cotton, and grain.  

Not all the Dunbrody passengers had a choice about their journey - some were paid to emigrate by landlords who wanted rid of them while others were sent abroad to ease overcrowding in workhouses. When the famine struck the land of Lord Fitzwilliam of Wicklow, the Lord offered his tenants the option to either stay and starve, suffer in the workhouse, or take a free ticket to Canada. From 1847-1857, 6000 men, women, and children left the Wicklow land to start a new life overseas.

The Dunbrody was sailed by a crew of 12-15 men. The crew included the first mate, a team of ordinary seamen and apprentices, and young boys taken to learn the ropes. Also on board was a cook, a carpenter, and a sailmaker. Many of the crew were Irish, but as the Dunbrody sailed around the world, crew members of other nationalities joined the ship such as: Hamburg, Germany, Orlando, Florida, and even Southampton in England.

Today the replica of the Dunbrody represents the hundreds of ships that carried the stories of thousands across the Atlantic. People can come see the conditions that were forced upon individuals escaping the certain death of the famine in search of a better life. It is important to remember the lives of those who perished on the arduous journey, and also those that survived and flourished in their new lives.

PERSONAL RESPONSES

Grace: I very much enjoyed how informative this tour was, and it gave me real perspective on what the Famine was really like for all who emigrated. This journey was hellish to hear about, but being inside of a real ship that transported these people made it all real to me. It was a sobering place for me especially knowing that this event is still prevalent in the hearts of the Irish people. I did have a bit of a laugh though because there were reenactments by some actors portraying actual ship passengers--- and they were not good. I struggled to stifle my giggles as they gave their monologues, and it definitely lightened the mood of the site visit for me.

Erin: Learning about something in a classroom and actually seeing the reality of it are quite different. In a classroom setting it is easy to separate yourself from the horrors and inhumanity of a situation, but seeing the living conditions and hearing about the hardship of living on a ship really made the journey real. The people who lived during the Great Famine had to have been incredibly strong and determined, and I find that admirable. It could not have been easy to have to leave your home and everyone you know to go to a new country with no money, friends, or guarantees of prosperity. The more I learn about the Irish people, the more they amaze me.

Rae: Going to this site brought about the reality of the harsh living conditions present on famine ships. What really hit home for me was seeing the bunks at the bottom of the ship. Fitting entire families in such small places with such little hygiene is unpleasant to say the least. I felt fairly confined in the ship, so to think that 400+ people would have stayed in those cramped quarters made me grateful for our reasonably sized group. Though the visit may not have been pleasant, the “townspeople” that we met at the end of the tour brought about a new perspective. To say that this was a pleasant trip would be a lie as it left me feeling somber, yet it left me feeling entirely fortunate for the many blessings I have in my life.

Isaac: The experience at the Dunbrody was unforgettable. When we walked onto the ship, we were told that at times, nearly 500 people were squeezed onto a ship this size to sail across the Atlantic. The conditions of the ship were terrible for everyone involved, especially the middle-class travelers who could afford to escape the horrors of the famine in Ireland. Upon entering the lower level of the ship, we saw the types of conditions that over a hundred people would have to live in for the journey across the sea. The quarters were tight, and often times sickness was inevitable. Those who were on the top bunks were lucky to avoid the disease seeping down onto those in the the lower bunk. If they were able to survive the journey, the men, women, and children were often left alone in a new world to fend for themselves. To remember the stories of what happened in Ireland during this period was significant in understand the country’s history, as well as realizing how blessed I am to have the securities I have in my country.