Dunbrody Famine Ship Family Tour

What to Expect

The Dunbrody Famine Ship is a full-scale, seaworthy replica of an 1840s emigrant ship moored on the quay at New Ross, and the visit is built as a guided tour rather than a self-directed walk-round. Costumed performers play emigrants and crew, staying in character as they lead the group through the ship and tell individual passenger stories, which tends to hold children’s attention better than a standard museum tour. The experience is arranged in four parts: The Departure, which sets the scene for why people left; The Voyage, aboard the ship itself; New World, covering arrival in Savannah, Georgia; and the Irish America Hall of Fame, which profiles well-known Irish-American figures. A virtual tour option exists for anyone who cannot manage the ship’s stairs and gangways. The Captain’s Table Restaurant on site looks out over the River Barrow, useful for combining the visit with lunch before or after. Dunbrody and the nearby Kennedy Homestead at Dunganstown, a few kilometres outside New Ross, are often visited together, since between them they cover both a specific emigrant family’s story and what a full ship crossing to North America actually involved, told through costumed performers rather than static display cases.

Good to Know

• Open 7 days a week, 9:00am to 6:00pm, with last tour times varying by season
• Address: New Ross, Co. Wexford
• Adult, child and family ticket options available; book via dunbrody.com or call 051 425239
• Pet-friendly, with disabled parking on site
• Shop on site selling heritage books and souvenirs

Getting There

New Ross is in south-west Wexford on the N25/N30, on the banks of the River Barrow. The Famine Ship is moored on the quay in the town centre, within walking distance of New Ross’s main car parks and the town’s shops and cafes.