Defence Forces get on their bikes in Donegal for National Famine Commemoration

As preparations intensify for Sunday’s National Famine Commemoration in Milford, a fleet of Irish Defence Forces motorbikes zoomed into Donegal on Friday.

Twenty five of the Defence Forces’ Honda NC750X bikes arrived at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Letterkenny for refreshments as the soldiers made their way to Finner Camp.

The escort of honour bikes will escort the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, as he leads Sunday’s commemoration at the site of the former workhouse in Milford.

These bikes were purchased in 2019 to replace the ageing batch of Honda Deauville 700cc used previously by the Defence Forces.

The bikes from the 2 Cavalry Squadron, based in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Rathmines, Dublin, arrived to form part of the ceremony.

President Higgins - who is expected to arrive in Donegal on Saturday evening - will receive a ‘Captains motorcycle escort of honour’ as part of the event.

“The bikes are in Donegal for this ceremony and are pre-positioning there for Sunday,” a spokesperson from the Irish Defence Forces told Donegal Live.

On Sunday afternoon, President Higgins will lead a wreath-laying ceremony and will unveil a commemorative stone at the site. President Higgins will also plant a Common Oak tree with the assistance of local schoolchildren.

As part of the ceremony, which will be broadcast on the RTÉ News Now channel, the President will also conduct an inspection of the 28th Infantry Battalion Guard of Honour.

The event is held in memory of those who suffered during the Great Famine from 1845-1851.

President Higgins will be accompanied by his wife Sabina and Minister of State Jack Chambers.

The 2020 event was planned for Buncrana, but following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic those plans were revised to make it a private occasion.

An estimated one million deaths resulted from starvation or hunger-related disease during An Gorta Mór with a further one million people fleeing the country.

In Donegal there was a workhouse in each of the eight Poor Law Unions: Carndonagh, Dunfanaghy, Milford, Letterkenny, Stranorlar, Glenties, Donegal Town and Ballyshannon.

For many, being forced to spend time in the local workhouse was regarded as the ultimate humiliation, but many were driven there by desperation or following eviction.

The onset of famine in 1845 tested the poor relief system to its limits as more and more people tried to gain admittance to the workhouses with many such facilities forced to build extra accommodation.

The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Councillor Liam Blaney said: “We are honoured that Donegal will have the opportunity to host the National Famine Commemoration ceremony in 2023. We look forward to working closely with the Minister’s department and encouraging the active participation of our local community. Together we will ensure a fitting commemoration on this catastrophic time in Irish history."