Jeanie Johnston setting sail today
A replica famine ship commemorating the plight of Irish emigrants was today setting sail from Co Kerry to the United States.
Thousands of people were expected to gather in Fenit to see the Jeanie Johnston set off on her two-month journey to Florida.
Among the crew members embarking on the journey were a number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in both Northern Ireland and the republic.
The youngsters from Belfast, Tallaght and Tralee are to sail on the ship during its initial three-week journey to Tenerife, and will be replaced by other “trainees” for the voyage to the US.
They are all part of the International Fund for Ireland’s Wider Horizons programme.
“Sail training could be likened to preparation for life itself,” said captain Tom McCarthy.
“Besides the practical skills, trainees develop team working abilities and character development. Young people supported by the International Fund for Ireland have been with the ship right from the beginning and bring real dynamism to it.”
Wider Horizons trainees were involved in the construction of the ship at its yard in Blennerville, Co Kerry, and some sailed with it on the Belfast-Dublin leg of its round Ireland journey.
“Being part of the Jeanie Johnston sailing is really exciting“, said Stephen Milliken, 21, from Donegal Pass, Belfast.
“I’ve never sailed before so I’m really looking forward to it. Wider Horizons has opened so many doors for me.”
Once the ship arrives in Florida on April 17 it will visit a further 20 ports.
The 150ft triple-masted vessel was built in memory of the Jeanie Johnston, which carried Irish emigrants to the US during the 19th century potato famine.
The original Jeanie Johnston was built in Quebec in 1847 by Scottish-born shipbuilder John Munn.
It was purchased for use as a cargo vessel but was then used to transport emigrants once the famine took hold in Ireland.
From 1848 to 1855 it carried more than 2,500 emigrants to North America, and despite harsh conditions never lost a passenger.
Work on the replica Jeanie Johnston began in 1998 and was completed in 2002 in Co Kerry. The actual cost of the project has run to €13.6m, about four times the original estimate.
The ship was due to set sail at around 3pm today.
