The Dunbrody Famine Ship visitor experience, titled ‘The Emigrant Trail,’ was officially opened by Taoiseach Simon Harris in New Ross, following an investment of €1.6m from various funding bodies.
The enhanced experience, supported by €880,000 from the Rural Regeneration Development Fund, focuses on the story of Famine emigrants and features a reproduction of a 1840s vessel that sailed to America during the Great Famine.
Utilizing digital interpretation and archival materials like personal letters and local shopfronts, the experience aims to vividly portray the human stories of those who emigrated across the Atlantic.
Fáilte Ireland projects that the Dunbrody Famine Ship experience could attract over 211,000 additional visitors over ten years, generating more than €9m in local economic impact and supporting 36 jobs in the area.
Seán Connick CEO of the JFK Trust said: “We are thrilled with the investment in the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience, which has elevated the attraction to a world-class level. The enhanced exhibition and immersive experience will help to position us as a must-see destination in Ireland’s Ancient East, significantly raising our profile internationally.
“We extend our gratitude to the Department of Rural and Community Development, Wexford County Council, and Fáilte Ireland for their support. This project is a great example of the successful collaboration between government agencies, the local authority, Fáilte Ireland and the John F. Kennedy Trust in developing New Ross as a Tourism Destination Town which will boost the economic potential for the town, create job opportunities and enhance the tourism offering in the south east.”
