During the course of the Great Irish Famine some 4,414 young Irish girls between the ages of 13 and 18 were shipped to Australia as part of what was known as the ‘Earl Grey Orphan Scheme’. These young girls were sent to Australia to relieve the burden on the Irish workhouse system which was extremely overcrowded during the Famine. In total, 163 workhouses were built in Ireland in the 19th Century and Edenderry workhouse was amongst them. As part of the Earl Grey scheme sixteen young girls from Edenderry workhouse were sent to Australia. This lecture will tell their story.
Dr Ciarán Reilly is an historian of 19th & 20th Century Irish History based at the Department of History, Maynooth University. He is author of a number of books on the Great Famine, including The Irish Land Agent, 1830-1860 and Strokestown and the Great Irish Famine.
Edenderry Library, Wednesday 23rd August at 18.30
To book a place, please contact Edenderry Library on 0469731028 or email edenderrylibrary@offalycoco.ie.
Brought to you as part of Heritage Week
