Famine Rock Williamstown
Nature of event: Irish Great Famine & Orphan Girls’ Commemoration Day
Where: Burgoyne Reserve, The Strand, cnr Stevedore St, Williamstown
When: Sunday 22nd November 2015 @ 2.30 pm
Further information: Invitation to attend Famine Rock Commemoration Day Newsletter; IFO Invitation 2015;
Contact: debonairdv@iinet.net.au Irish Famine Orphan Heritage; Ph: (03) 9397 6619
His Excellency, the Irish Ambassador to Australia, the Honourable Noel White, will be the guest speaker at this year’s event.
Local historian and Williamstown Historical Society’s Museum Director, Mrs Ada Ackerly will also speak on ‘Those Feisty Girls’. Dr Val Noone is our MC. Acknowledgement of Country will also be part of the event.
Since 1998, secular tribute in sacred ceremony has been paid at Williamstown’s Standing Stone Famine Rock, to the Great Famine and those, once youthful, 1700 plus Great-grandmothers who sailed into Hobson’s Bay in the years from 1848 – 1850 on the Lady Kennaway, Pemberton, New Liverpool, Diadem, Derwent and Eliza Caroline.
There is a surprising wealth of local and world history, and narratives of how the struggles and displacement of these women pioneers, the refugees of their day, mirror life today.
Performers and musicians include ‘Cora and The Cropboys’: Felix Meagher, Cora Browne and Vince Brophy, Mary Kenneally, Kathleen Kiernan, and Jake Gallagher.
Debra Vaughan Irish Famine Orphan Heritage.
Tinteán 
Best wishes for a great day. I’m disappointed that I can’t be there and will be thinking of you. John O’Reilly
Thank you John, you are always such a wonderful supporter & helper for the cause of telling the stories of these courageous pioneer teenagers. All the best, Debra Vaughan
That doesn’t look like a rock to me but nevertheless, its good to read your cover of the Commemoration of the Famine Rock. Good luck,and may the sun shine and the breeze be kind on Sunday 22 November next. Peter Kiernan.
Best wishes for your annual gathering
Thanks for your kind wishes Trevor. Your work is always inspiring, & your reference book ‘Barefoot & Pregnant?’, listing all the Earl Grey Scheme Orphans,is a cherished reference still.
Pingback: Earl Grey’s Irish Famine Orphans (27) | trevo's Irish famine orphans
You’re very kind Debra. I’ve given a bit of publicity for the event in my latest blog post at http://wp.me/p4SlVj-Di