About National Famine Commemoration Day
The National Famine Commemoration Day (Irish: Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta an Ghorta Mhóir) is an annual observance in Ireland commemorating the Great Famine.
A week-long programme of events leads up to the day, usually the third Sunday in May.
The National Famine Commemoration Committee was first established in 2008 following a Government decision to commemorate the Great Irish Famine with an annual national famine memorial day.
The annual national commemoration revolves between the four provinces of Ireland. An international event also takes place annually to commemorate the Great Irish Famine.
The Irish famine was the worst to occur in Europe in the 19th century. The Great Famine lasted from 1845 to about 1850, with "Black '47" the worst year. During the Great Hunger, about 1 million people died and more than a million fled the country, causing the country's population to fall by 20–25%
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