On Saturday the 24th and Sunday the 25th of June 2023, 7 cyclists have cycled the National Famine way from the Famine Museum in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon to the Famine Statues and Poverty Stone Customs House Quay Dublin. The Famine way covers 180km and crosses 6 different counties. We had a one-night camping near Lough Ennell, Co Westmeath.
The ATD support team met the group of cyclists on the Saturday morning in front of the Famine Museum and we had a self-guided tour. We re-discovered the History of the Great Famine, especially how it has affected the county of Roscommon. There was a lot of information about the potato blight, the potato dependency and the unbalanced relationships between the powerful landlords and the tenants. Then, we learned more about the Famine way that 1,489 people took in 1847 to emigrate to Liverpool and then to Canada. Finally, the last part of our visit focused on the journey on the ships to emigrate to Canada: the disease, the hunger, the hope… We discovered the story of a few of the hundreds of people who tragically died on these journeys.
After a lunch and a briefing concerning safety, the group of cyclists started the Famine way, riding along the canal. They rode 85km during the afternoon until Lough Ennell Caravan Park, Co Westmeath when ATD support team had started to pitch the tents and organized the campsite. We had a lovely break at the campsite, an occasion for the cyclists to rest and also to have a great time all together.
Despite the rain when we woke up on the morning, it was time for the cyclists to be back on the road and to continue the Famine way. After a few hours of cycling, we all had a lunch in the nice pub ‘Bridge House café’ in Enfield. After recharging their batteries, it was time for the last kilometers until Dublin.
These 7 courageous cyclists arrived finally at the Famine Statues and Poverty Stones in the late afternoon on Sunday, after a hundred kilometers from the morning. It was time to celebrate, to relief and to meet their families who waited for them.
The ATD team would like to thank and congratulate Maurice, Ger, Ian, John, Martin, Yosvani and Michael for their achievement and also their amazing energy. It was such a pleasure to meet all of you and to share this experience together. Then, we would like to thank the support team, especially Terence and Juliette, for all the efforts they have done in order to organize the event.
Read below the story of the cycle as written by Martin Byrne through these two beautiful pieces of poetry;
On the weekend of June 24th 2023, to mark World Refugee Day, a group of ATD Fourth World activists committed to cycling the Famine Trail from Strokestown House in Roscommon to the Famine Statues on the North Wall. This Famine Trail follows the route of the Royal Canal.
In 1847 there was a national crisis of starvation in Ireland. Today, there is a global crisis with poverty and injustice enfolding billions. Many live with catastrophic disparity, while some few are shielded from pains, with comfort, privilege and safety.
Today in our world 89 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Cycle Against Poverty
De-tenant the lands of the costly, starving, dying poor
Because not even hell or Connacht can sustain them now
These poor people are the blight
Laissez fair ideology and economics
Show the poor are expendable and when they become a nuisance
Get them to Liverpool and put them on boats to go far away
Banks of course are generally too big to fail
While stocks and shares and vulture funds will ever trump and triumph
Over the crying, basic needs of the desperate
A small group of cyclists in the footsteps of the starving
Pedalled hard to push-back, and to alert all about the cruel normal
Acting in solidarity, with and on behalf of today’s famished
Impressions
The personable run-marshal was shushed
Outside of where the terror of the famine tragedy
Was brought vividly to life
The canal head at Richmond Harbour
Offered us some temporary disorientation
While the bright sunshine enticed us cyclists
To relish the wonderful biodiversity of peat and pasture
Not for us Black ’47, as we pushed on to many welcome pit-stops
Refuelling on coffee and on great supportive company
Kinship experienced in the back-up support
In encouragement, in story-telling, in helping with a puncture
And in comradeship when someone was struggling
Disappointed in not finding that airport in Abbeyshrule
Smiled and journeyed on along the tranquil, midland’s waterway
With light dimming and energies depleting
What a joy to find our tents erected by Lough Ennell’s shore
Power showers and warm pizza never were so welcome
Sleep broken by cramps and by predawn human weather forecasters
My sigh on awakening was, “Ah feck it, the bikes were not stolen!”
Nourished on a hearty breakfast we set off afresh
With plenty of ups on our way to the Downs
In a small, boggy world, we encountered familiar Harriers like Paul Ginnell
And pedalled through barriers of tiredness
To the mystical worlds of Nanny Quinn’s and Footy’s Bridge
Finding comfort at the Downs, Moyvalley and the Enfield oasis
Irish place names suggesting level plains; Maynooth, Moyglare and Moygaddy
Soon gave way to Norman defences at the Pale’s end of the vulnerable Esker Riada
Tyrell’s Castleknock, – Porterstown, Luttrellstown and Barberstown
Like the starving thousands from Strokestown, we too entered the city from the west
Allies in identity with those refugees, who starving, fled our country
We remembered all who struggle today with the violence of poverty
And reached our journey’s end at the famine statues in the shadow of the IFSC
Aware that our systems do not support those many being left behind
Disparities disproportionately impact on all peoples who are poor
The Great Irish Hunger is over, but global dehumanisation continues
