Skibbereen, Ireland: A Legacy of the Famine

Abstract

The Irish Potato Famine began in the mid-19th century, claiming the lives of millions. The Famine forever changed the culture and sociopolitical relations of Irish people, and these changes are reflected in the graveyards in the past and present. Symbols, imagery, and types of grave markers give insight into the ideologies of the time they were placed there. I visited three graveyards in West Cork in the summer of 2023 and examined databases of graveyards, to compare grave markings and graveyards before, during, and after the Famine. The question was posed: What are the long-term cultural implications of the famine, and how does this manifest in graveyards?