Mayo Famine Girls Commemoration

Headford Lace Project would like to thank Terry Reilly and the members of the Mayo Forgotten Famine Girls Memorial Group for hosting Tasmanian historian and artist, Dr. Christina Henri’s visit to Ballina recently. She placed a symbolic bonnet on the head of the Famine Girl statue and visited the Jackie Clarke Collection Museum. Thank you to Edel Healy for the special opening of the museum where it was possible to view the commemorative quilt which was executed by Jane and her staff from the Ballina Costume Company. Terry Reilly presented Dr. Henri with an illustrated copy of his book ‘Mayo’s Forgotten Famine Girls’ to honour her contribution to the preservation of the memories of those women who were transported to Australia from the workhouses during 1848-50. Another once off presentation was made of a wooden container made from timber harvested from the roof of St. Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina. The significance of the roof timber is that it once towered over the baptismal font in which many of the Famine Orphan Girls were christened. Before leaving Ballina, Dr. Christina Henri made a visit to Ballina Costume Company to thank Jane and her staff for making bonnets for her project work. Headford Lace Project look forward to further collaborations with the Mayo Forgotten Famine Girls Memorial Group. 

ballina bonnet