The countdown is on for the visit of President Michael D. Higgins for the National Commemoration of The Great Famine in Kilmallock this Saturday, when other visiting dignitaries will include Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, Mayor of Limerick John Moran, and local political representatives, writes John Barrett.
The keynote address is to be delivered by President Higgins who will also unveil a commemorative plaque and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony in the company of Minister O’Donovan and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. The event will feature performances by the Irish Army Band and local traditional musicians, along with readings by pupils from Coláiste Iósaef and Scoil Mocheallóg in Kilmallock.

Red letter day
Marking a red-letter day for the south Limerick town, this will be the first time that the commemoration is hosted in Co. Limerick. The event, which takes place at the Famine Memorial Park at 12 noon, is expected to attract a huge attendance to the town. The memorial park was officially opened by the then-President of Ireland, Mary McAleese in June 1999. “The Famine Memorial Park is the graveyard of the old workhouse in Kilmallock and it is estimated that thousands of people were buried here. It is a little realised fact that Co. Limerick was one of the most affected areas in Ireland during the Great Famine,” local Fine Gael councillor Greg Conway told the Vale Star. The local Tidy Towns group, other groups and volunteers have been coming together over recent weeks to carry out clean-up work, and to prepare floral displays and hanging baskets in advance of the presidential visit and The Famine commemoration. (See further coverage inside this week)