Midland town to host National Famine Commemoration in 2026

PORTUMNA will host the National Famine Commemoration in May 2026, Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, and Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee announced last week.

Next year’s event will take place at the Irish Workhouse Centre, located within the historic Portumna Workhouse complex, one of the most complete workhouse sites still in existence in Ireland.

This is the first time the State Commemoration has taken place in County Galway. As in previous years, the programme will include military honours, culminating in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony in remembrance of all those who suffered or perished during the Great Irish Famine.

Minister O’Donovan said: “Today, it is with a deep sense of solemnity and respect that I announce Portumna, Co. Galway, as the location for the 2026 National Famine Commemoration.

“The Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna stands on a site of immense historical significance, a place that bears direct witness to the hardship, loss, and upheaval experienced arising from An Gorta Mór. As one of the best-preserved workhouse complexes in the country, it offers a uniquely fitting setting for reflection on one of the most defining and tragic periods in our nation’s history.

“Having hosted both the National and International Famine Commemorations earlier this year, I have been deeply moved by the impact of this solemn event on local communities and we look forward to working closely with Galway County Council, the Irish Workhouse Centre and the people of Portumna and East Galway in the lead-in to next year’s event.”

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The National Famine Commemoration was established in 2008 and rotates by province on an annual basis. The selection of Portumna was made by the National Famine Commemoration Committee, following a call to the local authorities in Connacht in September.

Minister O’Donovan also acknowledged and thanked the National Famine Commemoration Committee for their continued work in ensuring that the tragic events of the Famine are remembered with dignity and respect.

He also noted the importance of creating opportunities to highlight Ireland’s enduring connections with the global Diaspora, and to celebrate the contributions of those who emigrated and their descendants around the world.

The Portumna Workhouse in Co. Galway was established in 1852 as part of the Poor Law Union system introduced in Ireland in response to widespread poverty and the devastation of the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849). It was designed by George Wilkinson, the architect responsible for many of Ireland’s workhouses, and built on a nine-acre site north of Portumna town. The facility was constructed to accommodate 600 inmates.

The workhouse system was introduced under the Poor Law (Ireland) Act of 1838, modelled on the English system. It aimed to provide indoor relief to those unable to support themselves. Inmates received food and shelter in exchange for labour, but conditions were deliberately harsh to discourage dependency. Families entering the workhouse were segregated by gender and age, with only children under two allowed to remain with their mothers.

Although Portumna Workhouse opened after the worst years of the famine, its creation was a direct response to the crisis. The famine had overwhelmed existing workhouses, leading to gross overcrowding, disease, and mass deaths. The Portumna facility became a vital resource for the destitute population of southeast Galway, serving as a grim lifeline for many years.

The site featured a T-shaped layout, with separate blocks for men, women, and children, a hospital wing, chapel, and dining hall. The workhouse bell regulated daily life. The buildings, many of which remain, were constructed with high walls and barred windows, emphasizing the institution’s austere nature.

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