Strokestown Park and The Irish National Famine Museum

Location :

Strokestown, Vesnoy, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon
Added by Jopie, at 19 April 2016

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• M Beary

  11 October 2017

  Beautiful grounds. Very informative. Excruciatingly painful history of the workhouse occupants who were forced to emigrate to Canada. Almost half died along the way or shortly after arriving.

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• Paul Jackson

  05 October 2017

  Informative but in need of huge investment in the house. Famine museum very good.

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• Ray Scott

  03 October 2017

  This was, indeed, a learning experience and one highlight of our trip to Ireland. We visited one rainy day without any expectations, but soon discovered a fascinating story detailing the causes, experiences, and results of the mid-nineteenth century famine which most Americans have heard of but know very little about. Not for everyone, especially younger visitors with limited attention spans, this step inside the dual world of wealthy landowners and impoverished tenant farmers not only illustrates the dichotomy of those historic times, but also brings one forward in time to see that even the privileged family can eventually be brought down to a state of destitution. If you are hoping to see another beautifully restored Victorian manor house I'm afraid you might be disappointed. Still, I believe that allowing the house to illustrate the eventual decay of a once proud dynasty serves an important lesson. Plenty of good primary documentary evidence can be found to support the history of the place (again, this is NOT a "hands-on" recreation, but a true piece of history locked in time) so if you're one who can enjoy reading about the people who once lived and worked in such a time and place, you will enjoy this. In addition to the museum artifacts and descriptions, the guided tour was a entertaining treat, a fine educational opportunity to ask questions, and a good value for the price of it all.
  
  I am tempted to give this recommendation one less star than a perfect score due to the recognition that there is still some improvement that can be made to the overall location and exhibits. I know that a large amount of work has gone into the creation of the museum and I applaud all the effort up to this point, but I believe the staff already knows that there are a few weaknesses in the narrative that need to be shored up just as I am fairly certain that these will be attended to in future as resources permit. I expect my next visit in five to ten years will be all the more exciting as Strokestown Park and Famine Museum continues along the path of telling this important story to a broad audience. I encourage others to visit and experience what this place has to offer and thus contribute to both its upkeep and future improvement.

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• Breffni Flynn

  05 August 2017

  Tables were filthy. Coffee and tea stains which could easily have been cleaned but cleanliness wasn't a priority I suppose.

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• Mary Healy-Carter

  03 August 2017

  Walled garden Very niceWas late autumn when we went there so didn't see it at its best MuseumGood collection Lot info on famine times. .But lot of reading..Little gift shop. Snacks So had a good day out..

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• Daniel Felice

  28 April 2017

  House is nice, museum could be better. Not interactive enough, just lots of reading.

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• Jean Cox-Kearns

  08 April 2017

  Lovely house and park lands.

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• Eamonn Mooney

  24 August 2016

  Interesting place gives a balanced prospective to a dark time in Irish History. Excellent tour guide

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• Maggie O'Donnell

  16 August 2016

  Excellent tour guide and good famine expo.

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• Sinead Mitchell

  26 April 2016

  House tour is good. Famine museum needs a lot of reading if you are into that. Gardens are great on a sunny day. And the food is fab in the cafe!! The shop has lots of treasures. You gotta try the Roscommon Chocolate

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