The Irish Famine of the mid-nineteenth century was a turning point in Irish history. This tragic event is regarded as one of the greatest social disasters of 19th century Europe.

Between 1845 and 1850, when blight devastated the potato crop, in excess of two million people either died or emigrated. Dungannon was affected during the famine years, and our heritage education programme, The Workhouse, is an endeavour to aid children’s understanding of this period in our history.

The best-selling children’s novel, “Under the Hawthorn Tree” by Marita Conlon McKenna, is a stimulus for our activities, which are produced in collaboration with Dungannon Library, and which mark World Book Day.