American Wakes, Coffin Ships and Canada | The Great Famine XXI

Coffin Ships are one of the most enduring images from the Great Famine. This was the name given to the boats that carried Irish Famine emigrants to North America in 1847. This sinister title comes from the appalling death rates onboard these ships. This show opens with the hopes and fears of famine emigrants in Black '47. Then I move on to the harrowing voyages and what awaited the emirgants when they landed in Canada, This fell far short of their expectations - this journey will take us onto the dreaded quarantine station of Gross Isle in the St Laurence river. Tune in to find out more. Thanks to Alexis Kelly for his narrating the words of Archbishop Signay.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This podcast is sponsored by deburcararebooks.com/podcast Ireland's largest stockist of rare books with titles from the 16th century to the present day.  They have put together a fantastic offer for the listeners of the Irish history podcast. You can get 15% off some classics: Maamtrasna: The murders and The mystery by Jarlath Waldron This was the key source for my podcast series on the Maamtrasna Murders and contains numerous comtemporary accounts from what is one of the most enduring mysteries in Irish history.  The highly recommended "Transactions of the Central Relief Committee of the Society of Friends during the The Famine in Ireland" I have used this repeatedly throughout the series and is the source of quotes in this podcast. Its a hardback collection of accounts, reports and letters written by quakers who were helping famine victims. The Great Irish Book of Genealogies. This is a beautiful translation of the five volume collection of medieval history, prose and poetry. The original was written in the mid 17th century making this translation a collectors item. You can get these for a limited time only at deburcararebooks.com/podcast  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy