Many of them didn't even have shoes. But they will be remembered by a pair of bronze shoes
The National Irish Famine Way has announced plans for the expansion of the Global Irish Famine Way to the United States in 2026.
To support and coordinate this expansion, the organization, said a release, has appointed two well-known individuals from the Irish community as national U.S. co-conveners: Professor Christine Kinealy of Quinnipiac University, Connecticut and Hilary T. Beirne, from Roscommon, Chairman Emeritus of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Foundation and Founding Director at Irish America 250.
The U.S. launch of the Global Irish Famine Way took place at City Hall in New York City on Sunday, March 22. Prior to this there was a flag raising ceremony at Bowling Green in lower Manhattan.
The first phase in the United States will see the placing of pairs of bronze shoes at key historical sites in Boston and in New York in 2026. In New York, Staten Island has been identified as the first U.S. location for this initiative, recognizing its historical significance in the story of Irish immigration.
For subsequent phases, added the release, the co-conveners will invite other community-led efforts across the United States to participate in the expansion of the Global Irish Famine Way.
The U.S. Global Irish Famine Way will join the Global Irish Famine Way Canada, which was established in 2025. This initiative will be especially meaningful to descendants of the Irish Famine, and Irish America, as it will feature as part of the Irish America 250th commemorations in 2026.
"For many Irish Americans, the Great Hunger, along with lesser-known famines, remains their foundational story for being in the United States. The National and Global Irish Famine Way provides a tangible memorial to the resilience of those emigrants and exiles who ultimately triumphed over adversity," said Professor Kinealy.
"This is a hugely exciting development for the Global Irish Famine Way. Irish Famine emigrants made a major contribution to the United States.
"Exile from Ireland because of the Famine is an intrinsic part of Irish American heritage and identity. There are over forty memorials to the Famine in the United States."
"The Bronze Shoes will connect not just these sites but the story of the Famine Irish and the ascent of following generations within America. It will also connect Irish America to the global phenomenon of Famine emigration, from North America to Australia.’ said former Irish Ambassador to Canada Eamonn McKee, now also a co-convener of the International Global Irish Famine Way. In an earlier part of his diplomatic career Ambassador McKee was a Deputy Consul General in New York.
Added the release: "As with the Irish National Famine Way the Global Irish Famine Way will be marked by Bronze Shoe plinths placed at significant sites, including ports of entry, quarantine stations, and common graves. Each site will include a QR code sharing its local history and the QR code will be linked to a dedicated page on the fully bespoke National & Global Irish Famine Way website (www.nationalfamineway.ie ).
"The bronze shoes, cast from originals discovered bound together in the roof of a 19th-century cottage, forms the trail’s iconic symbol 'Bronze Shoes.' The National Famine Museum and National Famine Way, managed by the Irish Heritage Trust, stretches 165 km (102 miles) from west to east across Ireland along the Royal Canal to Dublin, marked by 30 pairs of bronze children’s shoes, and ends at the iconic Famine Statues on Custom House Quay."
Caroilín Callery, founder of the National Famine Way, said: "Interest in our evocative, powerful and deeply symbolic little Bronze Shoe monument grew so fast. "They have quickly become symbolic of all famine emigrants worldwide. People seemed to connect with them instantly, often simply touching or saying a little prayer over them."
Continued the release: "The Global Irish Famine Way plans to tell the story of every place around the world where Irish Famine emigrants landed, creating new lives so far from their native land.
"Following in the footsteps of Strokestown’s (County roscommon) 1,490, the Global Irish Famine Way initially expanded to Canada in 2024 with 15 pairs of Bronze Shoes in key locations. The United States is the next natural step as we reach out globally to the destinations where Irish Famine refugees arrived between 1845 and 1852. We know hundreds of thousands fled on the Coffin Ships for American shores – including many of Strokestown’s Missing 1,490 whom we know made their way to the U.S."
Said Hilary Beirne: "The famine crossed the Atlantic in the coffin ships, and those who arrived in the new world were deeply scared as a result of it. The expansion will ensure acknowledgment of a shared history that is part of the Irish American psychic, it is also very much part of the American story. Many of my ancestors died in the famine and are buried in the same graveyard as my parents in County Roscommon, so I am proud to help facilitate the expansion of the famine way into the United States.
"When completed, the trail will be the longest heritage trail in the world, with dedicated local sites reaching back to a central location, the National Famine Way trailhead at the National Famine Museum in Strokestown, County Roscommon."
As both a physical and digital heritage trail, the Global Irish Famine Way aims to create an international network extending as far as Australia, telling - for the first time - the full story of the global impact and legacy of Irish Famine emigrants of which the U.S. plays a key and central part in that story.
The City Hall launch brought together multiple community leaders from both sides of the Atlantic, cultural advocates, and supporters of Irish heritage to honor the enduring ties between Ireland and the United States.
It was attended by City Council Speaker Julie Menin along with NYC Council members Kamillah M. Hanks, Virginia Maloney, and Joanna Riola, as well as community members.
The event featured the presentation of the historic Bronze Shoes to Staten Island honoree Lynn Rogers by Hilary Beirne.
“Events like these serve as a reminder that the story of New York - and indeed the United States - is deeply intertwined with the story of the Irish people," said Council Member for Staten Island, Kamillah M. Hanks.
