Famine memory and the gathering of stones: genealogies of belonging

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s the commemoration of Irish migration – specifically that related to the Famine of the 1840s – has achieved remarkable visibility in the public sphere. This essay explores how the practice of community Famine commemoration may be read as an index of competing commemorative concerns, as appeals for heritage recognition and genealogical affiliation combine with narratives of both ethnic difference and essentialism. In particular, the popularity of megalithic reproduction and imported “pieces of Ireland” reveals continuity with older forms of commemoration yet evidences new transatlantic relationships. By contextualizing a modest community memorial project within wider Irish and international memory practices, this essay argues how the Famine's commemoration may be understood as both “mirror” and “lamp,” alternatively reflecting and constructing social beliefs and behaviors.