5 Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin
1840’s Ireland, over one million people left the country in the height of the Great Famine that left desperate souls suffering from starvation in its wake. The Jeanie Johnston was a ship originally meant to transport cargo, however, due to the increasing demand to escape the devastation of the famine, it became a means of bringing emigrants from Ireland to North America.
The ship made her maiden voyage on April 24th, 1848 from Blennerville, Co. Kerry to Quebec, Canada where the Jeanie Johnston was built. The journey saw some 193 passengers on board. Over the next seven years the ship made 16 voyages to North America carrying over 2,500 emigrants safely to the New World. Life-size wax figures on board the museum are all modelled on actual passengers who made the journey to North America on the ship.
