This new purpose built visitor centre allows visitors to travel on an historical thought provoking one way sea going journey in famine times. The experience begins Quayside with the authentic recreation of the New Ross of the 1840s. Here the passenger joins fellow travellers paying for their journey, while these fellow emigrants tell of their life stories and their hopes for a new life in America. Various audio and visual displays capture the atmosphere of a passenger stepping onboard Dunbrody and setting sail for the New World, America.
Onboard the authentically recreated ship, you encounter re-actors telling their stories of being forced to emigrate to seek a better life, and you experience the sights, smells and sounds of a Famine Ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the 1840’s. The passenger then arrives in North America; here the emigrant witnesses the impact Irish emigrants have had on American life and culture. The centre piece of this exhibition is the Irish America Hall of Fame, which was developed in collaboration with publishers Niall O’Dowd and Patricia Harty of Irish America Magazine; this exhibition celebrates and honours the lives, works and achievements of noted Irish individuals such as, President John F Kennedy and the Kennedys, Henry Ford, Donald Keough, President Clinton, and Grace Kelly, to name but a few.
Speaking at the official opening, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said, “The development of this new Centre for Emigration History, and the renovation of the Dunbrody ship, demonstrates the importance of tourism to New Ross, the south east, and the whole country. Our tourist attractions must innovate and stay ahead of the game in an internationally competitive tourism market. Early indications for tourism performance in 2011 are encouraging, and new initiatives like this centre for emigration history will play a vital role in keeping Ireland attractive to overseas visitors.”
Commenting on today’s official opening Sean Reidy, Chief Executive of the Dunbrody Famine Ship said, “We were delighted to officially open to the public the Dunbrody visitor centre today; over ten years ago, we built a replica of a 19th Century Famine Ship and from that time over 750,000 people visited the attraction. We have painstakingly recreated an experience that illustrates the passion and drive of the Irish to succeed in difficult circumstances. The Irish America Hall of Fame is such a celebration of noted Irish Americans who have achieved greatly, in their chosen profession.”
He then went onto say, “Our Quayside experience, tells the tales of emigrants’ from Ireland to North America in the 1840s. We have found from our research a need to develop our project further and reinforce the emotional journey; many people took during that important time in our nation’s history.”
During the opening ceremony of “Dunbrody, An Irish American Story,” many tributes were paid to local businessman and the esteemed founding Chairman Paddy Quinn, who passed away recently. A plaque was unveiled and the building was dedicated to this local visionary who was the driving force behind the project over the past 18 years.
The visitor centre is a brand new building cost €2.6 million, €1.88 million of which was provided under the National Development Plan, administered by Failte Ireland on behalf of the Department of Tourism.
