Galway County Council has confirmed that the 2026 National Famine Commemoration will take place at the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna on Saturday, May 16th.
The State ceremony, which will include military honours and a wreath-laying, will be broadcast live on national television. Newly elected Uachtarán na hÉireann Catherine Connolly is expected to deliver the keynote address from the site of the former Portumna Workhouse.
Alongside the formal commemoration, Portumna will host a conference on the Irish Famine, bringing together leading scholars and researchers. A bilingual workbook for children is also being developed to support schools, offering accessible material on the Famine and the workhouse system.
The Portumna Workhouse, opened in 1852 and regarded as one of the most complete surviving complexes of its kind, has become a hub for lectures, exhibitions and cultural events. This will be the first time the National Famine Commemoration has been held in County Galway since the annual initiative was established in 2008.
Councillor David Collins, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council
said the National Famine Commemoration would be a national moment of reflection and a chance to highlight Galway’s famine story.
“Hosting the Commemoration in Portumna is a deeply significant moment for Galway,” he said. “The Irish Workhouse Centre, the only dedicated workhouse museum in the country, stands as a powerful reminder of the hardship endured by our ancestors. The Commemoration will honour the victims of the Famine while also helping to raise the Centre’s profile as both a visitor attraction and a place of reflection and remembrance.”
Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council
said the local authority will work closely with the National Famine Commemoration Committee, Elected Members, the Irish Workhouse Centre, and key local stakeholders to produce a commemoration programme that appropriately marks the historic occasion.
“With its facilities, capacity, and strong local connections, the Centre is an ideal venue to host a respectful and meaningful national event,” he added. “The regeneration of Portumna Courthouse earlier this year, along with ongoing work at Portumna Castle, the harbour, and forest trails, creates a real opportunity for the whole town to be involved in a way that complements the solemn and reflective nature of the Commemoration.”
Michael Owens, Director of Services for Galway County Council,
noted that Galway County Council’s bid to host the National Famine Commemoration in Portumna reflects the deep impact the Great Famine had on the county, where thousands suffered, died or were forced to leave.
“With its original buildings, extensive grounds and experience hosting large gatherings, the Centre is an ideal setting to remember those affected by the famine,” he said. “The Council, Centre and local community, including schools, volunteers and cultural groups, are committed to working with the National Famine Commemoration Committee to deliver a programme that is respectful and engaging.”
County Galway’s bid to host the event was supported by a range of local organisations and individuals including Portumna Tidy Towns, South East Galway Integrated Rural Development CLG, Portumna Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, the County Archivist and the City and County Librarian.
Galway County Council says further details of the 2026 National Famine Commemoration programme will be announced in January. Information on the national initiative is available at irishfamine.ie, with details on the Irish Workhouse Centre at irishworkhousecentre.ie.
Information on The Portumna Workhouse:
Portumna Workhouse in County Galway was established in 1852 as part of the Poor Law Union system created in response to widespread poverty following the Great Famine. Designed by George Wilkinson and built on a nine-acre site north of the town, it was intended to house up to 600 people. Although it opened after the worst famine years, the workhouse was a direct outcome of the crisis, which had overwhelmed existing facilities with overcrowding, disease and death. Portumna became an essential refuge for the destitute of southeast Galway. Like other workhouses, it offered basic shelter and food in exchange for labour, with conditions kept harsh to deter reliance on relief. Families were separated on entry, except for mothers with infants under two. The site followed a T-shaped layout with segregated accommodation, a hospital, chapel and dining hall, many of which still stand today.
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