The field trip last Sunday 20th August to Ballyshannon was an excellent event. There were two parts to the proceedings. First, Anthony Begley conducted a Commemoration ceremony for the nineteen orphan girls who were shipped to Australia from the Ballyshannon Workhouse in 1848. The story was poignant, yet the sense of connectivity to the area was excellent. Each girl’s personal story was related, and a Rose placed in their honour at the Orphan Girls Memorial, interspersed with songs both local and from Australia.
You can read the personal stories from Anthony’s book which is out of print but available online: https://ballyshannonfamineorphanmemorial.wordpress.com/
The second part was a talk delivered by Anthony in the field in front of the old school adjoining the Workhouse, where he related the history of various buildings, churches, homes, and warehouses that could be viewed across the Erne valley on the opposite side. A large crowd were enthralled with his local knowledge. Thanks Anthony.
