Canadians walk in Famine ship ancestors foot steps
CANADIAN descendants of a family who fled Sligo during the Famine returned last weekend to retrace their last journey on Irish soil.
Rose Marie and Terry Stanley walked the Famine Trail from the Caves of Keash to Sligo Quay on Saturday to mark the 170th anniversary since their forefathers, Patrick and Sarah Kaveney and their six children left Cross on the 5th of April 1847. They were joined by eight Canadian family members, their Ward cousins from Keash and the Keaveneys from Dublin. On their arrival at the Quay the group were honoured at a civic reception at City Hall hosted by Mayor of Sligo Municipal District Cllr Marie Casserly. Rose Marie expressed her appreciation to the Mayor and spoke of the impact of the walk together with the unexpected gift of finding the family’s Sligo roots and connecting with cousins here in Ireland. She committed to returning in 2021 to walk the Famine Trail again. While here Rose Marie will present a play called ‘ EMIGRANT’ based of the epic journey of her ancestors, Patrick Kaveney and Sarah McDonaghin Cliffoney Hall on Thursday, 20th April at 8.30pm, and in White Hall Keash on Saturday 22nd April at 8.30pm. In Cliffoney Anne Hoey and Frank Kielty will assist the presentation. Patrick and Sarah, their six children and 172 other emigrants from Lord Palmerston’s estates sailed on board the Carricks of Whitehaven to Quebec. The ship ran into a late winter storm and was shipwrecked on 28th April 1847, in the Gulf of St Lawrence, just off the coast of Cap des Rosiers, Canada. Only 48 survived, including Patrick and Sarah together with their son Martin, but their five daughters perished.