In their illustrated talk, (ArtsGroupie founder and director) John Maguire and (Liverpool Irish Festival Artistic Director and CEO) Emma Smith examine Liverpool's humanitarian response during An Gorta Mór.
Recent research confirms over 1.5 million Irish people arrived in Liverpool between 1845-53, necessitating unprecedented operations to feed, transport, house, and — sadly — bury those who perished.
This presentation traces Liverpool's evolution as a gateway for human movement. From its first wet dock (1715) facilitating Irish and European trade, to becoming Britain's leading port in the 1740s — including the morally complex transportation of 1.3 million enslaved Africans — Liverpool developed infrastructure and systems for mass human transit.
By the 1830s-40s, Liverpool's connection to Ireland had deepened through the development of the Liverpool Manchester Railway, with Irish railway workers making up 30% of the workforce. Today, the impacts of The Great Hunger still shape the city. Listeners will hear how famine is declared and what ongoing deprivation means to Liverpool.
The presenters will analyse how Liverpool's Select Vestry — often acting against national policy — saved countless Irish lives during the Famine years. By contrasting local humanitarian efforts with government indifference, this talk explores what constituted true benevolence in a time of unprecedented crisis, revealing why Liverpool and Ireland maintain such profound connections today.
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