Doagh Famine Village

When visiting Donegal, Doagh Famine Village is a great place to spend time! It’s a historic site that depicts life in Ireland's local community and is a memorable celebration of Irish culture. The place preserves the customs, traditions, and history of Inishowen.

Family home

Pat Doherty was born in one of the houses in the area. Now, he and his family run and curate the museum. As it embraces previous generations of Pat Doherty’s family, the Doagh Famine Village is regarded as a living museum. It is a real treasure to talk to a member of the family who survived. Pat Doherty will be glad to guide you through all the buildings.

The museum is an expression of the desire to document undocumented history and tell untold stories. Doherty's family is truly passionate about the project, as the work they put into it is phenomenal. The museum is run independently and without funding, and thus, nothing can affect a narrative or standardise work. The family who created this museum share common values and are motivated by pure drive. Ongoing creativity and quirks are the basements for this memorable experience. The project is all about diversity, respect and dignity. 

Multilingual leaflets enable visitors to read all about the Famine Village in their preferred language. The location offers a captivating collection of objects and well-laid-out exhibitions. After the tour, relax in the welcoming cafe, where you can enjoy a tasty selection of snacks and refreshments. In addition, it has splendid views out over the bay to Five Finger Strand at Malin. Doagh Famine Villages opens daily from March until September/October each year. Admission includes a guided tour, refreshments, and entrance into Donegal Haunted House.

Outdoor museum

Located on the north Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Doagh Famine Village is one of Ireland’s most unique tourist attractions. It recreates a village during the Great Potato Famine. The village is set in a traditional thatched hamlet, transporting visitors to a time when life in Ireland was difficult.

This outdoor museum reveals the area's local history from the 1840s through the 1900s to the present day. The guided tour provides an informative and thought-provoking look at Irish life in those days through descriptive storytelling and a full-size exhibition. An array of actual-size objects includes original dwellings, inhabited until 1983. Moreover, the scene houses Orange Hall, a Presbyterian Meeting House, Mass Rock and Hedge School, and a Republican Safe House. The buildings illustrate the Inishowen peninsula's diverse local history and culture, such as food, cures, and the ‘Irish Wake’, a traditional send-off for the dead. Furniture items and other artefacts from the period are displayed, as are figures dressed in genuine costumes. 

The Irish wake is the last celebration of the dead person’s life. Friends and family gather around the dead in the biggest room in the house to pay their respects. The name “wake” comes from the time when unknown diseases ravaged the countryside, causing many deaths. During the occasion, the dead person is believed to be awakened. Therefore, according to the tradition, the body had to be in its home for at least a night.

Discover age-old traditions and customs such as medicinal cures and the Irish Wake. Find out the critical role religion played in the country’s history. Orange Hall exemplifies an organization where the Established Church followers could safely gather. The Republican Safe House offered shelter for those pursued by the authorities. Next, you’re brought to another cottage designed to show how poitín (a strong alcoholic spirit) was made, with a sample provided for everyone. The premises include the IRA Safe House, which was inspired by a Republic prisoner. The Safe House exemplifies the secret places used by the IRA when on the run from the British Army and the Northern Ireland Police Force. The ninth-century Turf Houses are buildings built of wood and stone and covered with a thick blanket of turf, which can withstand up to 70 years.

Traveller culture and history are given no less space than those of other members of Irish society as they are Ireland’s only indigenous ethnic minority. Information about Travellers is not taught in schools and colleges, and it is rare to see their culture showcased in museums and galleries. Moreover, the museum honours a community that is most often depicted negatively.

The Doagh Visitor Centre offers a variety of exhibitions that tell the stories of famine, fear, and eviction. Join the guided tour and travel back into the past. Learn about Ireland's history, starting with the devastating famine in the 1840s. The tour narrates the complex story from various perspectives, aiming to give a balanced view of Ireland's political and economic situation. You will also find out how Irish families evolved from the Great Famine. During the tours, you will hear about the constant struggle of the Donegal community to survive.

Story of Famine and Fear

Distinct from any other tourist attraction in Ireland, the Famine Village depicts life in Ireland as it was. The stories are, of course, interspersed with humorous anecdotes. But by the end of the tour, you may be offended, hurt, or feel that something like this should never have happened.

The outdoor museum gives visitors an idea of how things were for the local people. Informative tours touch on various aspects of rural life, comparing the past to the present. The cottages where people lived until 1984 had no running water or electricity. People faced remoteness, isolation, and a reliance on a tiny plot of land. The place was harsh and difficult to exist in at that time. Despite all the hardships, the same families have lived here for generations.

Due to short life expectancy, most families had many children. The family lands were divided among the children who survived despite all the challenges. The more children, the smaller the plots of land they received. Some fields were not spacious enough to farm. This led to poverty and a food shortage across much of the country. During the worst time of the Famine, the population dropped to 4 million due to death and emigration.