Skibbereen: The Famine Story

Written by Terri Kearney and Philip O'Regan, both of Skibbereen Heritage Centre, Skibbereen: The Famine Story traces the tragic events of the crisis as it unfolded. Skibbereen was 'the very nucleus' of the Famine. Horrific reports from the Skibbereen area featured in the media of the time as it became infamous for the suffering endured by its people. This publication uses these shocking reports to follow the crisis as it developed to show the devastating effects it had on local individuals and families. The people who feature in The Famine Story — such as Tom Guerin, the boy who was buried alive, and the Widow Geaney, evicted to die on the side of the road — represent millions whose stories remain untold. The true enormity of this national tragedy is revealed through the experiences of these individual people, and the places in the Skibbereen Union where the story unfolded.