May 25th becomes Famine Festival

Eamon Ó Cuív has announced Ireland’s latest Feast Day – from now May 25th is to become the Famine Festival.

The Festival will take place in each of the country’s ports, and will tastefully feature an abundance of food.

‘We hit on the idea of combining the Slow Food movement with a Famine commemoration. We wanted to feature both the food that was available in Ireland in the 1840s such as mackeral, Connemara Atlantic salmon, silver eel, oysters and mussels, as well as food that has only recently become available here, like white honey and Amalfi sfusato lemons.’

The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs chose May 25th to clash with Africa Day, run by the Department of Foreign Affairs. There has not traditionally been rivalry between the two.

Mr Ó Cuív has been given no money as yet to establish a special committee for the Festival. Tim Pat Coogan and retired diplomat Hugh Swift have secured places on the committee.

The Minister hopes to hold a simultaneous celebration each May 25th with an area of the globe that is currently Famine-stricken. ‘We are looking at that possibility,’ he said.