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Ireland’s Great Famine Project at Forbes House Museum
It’s Not an Everyday Matter…To See a Nation Starving
Captain Robert Bennet Forbes, Boston, February 1847
“I consider the mission of the Jamestown as one of the grandest events in the history of our
country. A ship of war changed into an angel of mercy, departing on no errand of death, but
with the bread of life to an unfortunate and perishing people.”
Reverend R. C. Waterston, Boston, March 1847
The USS Jamestown, by George M. Atkinson, oil on canvas, FHM permanent collection.

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Project Overview:
It’s Not an Everyday Matter…To See a Nation Starving seeks to create an experiential and
informational exhibition exploring the unique, extraordinary, and remarkable 1847
humanitarian voyage of Captain Robert Bennet Forbes, who transported 800 tons of food and
provisions to Ireland aboard the USS Jamestown at the height of the Great Famine. The
exhibition will delve into the root causes of the famine and touch upon the divisive issues of the
day in Boston. The project will investigate the formation of the New England Relief Committee
and its members, including Captain Forbes and his brother, John Murray Forbes. It will touch
upon other historic and exceptional efforts organized by the Society of Friends (Quakers) and
Bishop Fitzpatrick’s Relief Association of Ireland, which received contributions from across
New England. The public will be introduced to the riveting and heroic sequence of events that
culminated with the arrival of RBF in Cobh Harbor in Cork, Ireland, on 12 April 1847, where
celebratory testimonials and shocking tours of the famine ravaged country took place. The
voice of RBF will be woven throughout through all aspects of the exhibition. It will resonate
with words of profound practicality and determined confidence, connecting the famine
tragedy with American philanthropic activism and generosity.
The exhibition seeks to engage audiences in Greater Boston, New England and Ireland with a
focus on those with Irish and Irish American heritage. The exhibition will be designed with
sensitivity to those with hearing and visual impairments, supported by audio and visual
communication (additional interpretation) as need and where possible.
Project Goals:
1. Explore the unprecedented humanitarian effort of Captain Robert Bennet Forbes
and his colleagues of the New England Relief Committee to bring aid to Ireland in
1847 at the height of the Great Famine.
2. Emphasize the historical, cultural, economic and familial links between Boston and
Ireland, both past and present that influenced and emanated from this event.
3. Ignite contemporary consciousness about the continual problems of hunger,
malnutrition, poverty and immigration, and our obligations to address these issues.
The exhibition will explore six topics illustrated through text panels, artworks and artifacts
(both original and reproductions), along with audio and video components. It will rely heavily
on RBF’s own writings and journals and will include the direction and consultation of Dr.
Catherine B. Shannon, lead scholar for the project. The exhibit will contain original or scanned
letters, documents and illustrations. A timeline (possibly interactive) will run through the entire
exhibit to help link and inform the historical narrative. The exhibition will be supported by a
webpage, social media pages and possibly mobile apps.

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Exhibition Summary:
The exhibition will be divided into six themes or segments:
1A. The Scene in Ireland
A timeline will explore the political, economic and agricultural conditions that gave rise to the
Famine. The exhibit will feature drawings from the Illustrated London News, excerpts of letters
from Ireland, and first-hand accounts of from American visitors (Quakers, Asenath Nicholson,
Elihu Burritt, Frederick Douglass, ect.). Famine era music and audio recordings/readings may be
included in this segment.
1B.The Scene in Boston and the United States
A concurrent timeline will explore the religious, economic and political climate that existed in
Boston, highlighting the issues of war, immigration, abolitionism, and nativism that effected
popular opinion and thought in the mid-19th century. Early relief efforts by Bostonians will be
presented.
2. Boston Responds
The developing awareness of the Famine crisis and its magnitude precipitated a chain of events
on the local and national stage, resulting in the formation of Bishop Fitzpatrick’s Relief
Association for Ireland and the New England Relief Committee. Prominent citizens of Boston
Silver Salver, “Presented to Robert Bennet Forbes… by the inhabitants of the County and City of Cork,
Ireland…” E. J & W. Barnard, London, fabricators, 1846, 32 x 22 in., FHM permanent collection.

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gathered at an historic assembly in Faneuil Hall; portraits of key leaders will be exhibited as well
as memorable quotes and sermons. This section may include “scrapbooks” containing copies
of newspaper clippings and audio recitation of speeches from Faneuil Hall.
3. RBF and JMF Take Charge
This segment will explore the acquisition of the Navy sloop of war, the USS Jamestown, and
highlight the participation in the relief effort by Captain Robert Bennet Forbes and his brother,
John Murray Forbes. The segment will delve into the life history and motivating factors that
contributed to their participation, and describe the philanthropic, civic-minded and tenacious
RBF. It will detail Forbes’ work to outfit the ship, hire a crew, receive donations and conduct
business relative to the relief effort. It will explore RBF’s plan for food distribution upon arrival
in Cork. Quotes from RBF’s journal and diaries will be featured.
4. The Voyage
A symbolic resting place from the tumultuous preparations in Boston, this segment will focus
on the 14 day, cross- Atlantic voyage of RBF aboard the USS Jamestown. There will be a small,
enclosed exhibition space where visitors can separate from the frantic and emotional response
for aid. The exhibit panels will provide interesting data including food items and other
provisions totaling 800 tons and traveling supplies. The data will detail the number of crew
members, their identity and skill level, and the daily weather conditions during the journey.
Once again, RBF’s thoughts will be conveyed through travel logs and journal entries
demonstrating his cool and professional demeanor. A map of the voyage will be featured along
with a map on how provisions were stored. Here is where the ship’s wheel of the USS
Jamestown will be exhibited along with a backdrop of the deck of the ship, or views of Boston
Harbor or Cobh Harbor. Background audio of a ship at sea with RBF reading his log.
5. Arrival at Cork
Beginning with an official welcome in the port of Cobh, the exhibit will chronicle RBF’s arrival in
the most affected areas of the Famine. It will describe Captain Forbes’ shock upon touring the
area with temperance reformer, Father Theobald Mathew. This segment will cover the banquet
in RBF’s honor and his work to distribute the food provisions equitably with the help of
Liverpool native, William Rathbone. Maps of the food distribution plan will be exhibited. James
Mahoney illustrations and portraits of Fr. Mathew and Rathbone will be featured.
6. Return to Boston- The Work is Not Done
Chronicling RBF’s haste to return to Boston, this segment will describe a reception on the USS
Jamestown with prominent citizens of Cork dining on lemonade and ginger cookies. Witnessing
the devastation and death, Forbes’ aspires to quickly return to Boston to organize a second
relief effort and to assist with a lagging effort in New York with the ship, the Macedonian. The
Silver Salver and Testimonial Harp, gifts given to RBF by the citizens of Cork, will be exhibited in
this segment.

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Project Timeline:
Spring/Summer 2015: Meet the challenge to match the $15,000 challenge
gift for the project.
Plan for a full public exhibition to be installed in
February 2017. Possible exhibit venues include the
Massachusetts State House, Boston Public Library
(main branch at Copley Square), Massachusetts
Historical Society or Boston College. Convene
planning meetings with the lead scholar, graphic
designer, web/multi- media designer and exhibit
fabricator. Create story boards and exhibition
layout.
Plan for a small scale exhibition at Ireland’s Great
Hunger Museum, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT
consisting of Cork Silver Salver, Testimonial Harp
and two- four exhibition panels.
Continue production and distribution of Great
Famine short stories on 02186.mytownmatters.com
and other media outlets.
Network with members of the business, civic,
religious, and political and communities to raise
awareness for the project. Identify and secure
project underwriters and members to the honorary
committee.
1 September 2015: Transport Silver Salver and testimonial Harp to
Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum and ship exhibition
panels; assist with installation of exhibit as needed.
15 September- 22 November 2015: Exhibit at Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum.
Reception to be held in September 2015.
1 January 2016- 1 January 2017: Design and production of full scale exhibition.
1 February 2017: Installation of full exhibition in Boston; soft launch
of the exhibit during this month.
1 March 2017: Official exhibition opening/reception in Boston.
1 March- 31 May 2017: Exhibition in Boston.

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Phase Two of the Project (tbd):
1 June 2017: Disassembly of exhibition in Boston. Shipping and
installation of exhibition in Cork, Ireland.
1 July- 31 October 2017: Full exhibition at Cork Public Museum, Fitzgerald
Park, Cork, Ireland.
1 November 2017: Exhibition return to FHM (or forwarding of
exhibition to a location in Dublin).
Testimonial Harp,
From the County and
City of Cork,
August 1847;
The frame, in the shape of an
Irish harp, bears the coat of arms
of Cork, flanked by the
Royal Standard of Great Britain
and the United States flag;
gilded wood frame containing
a paper document,
33 x 20 inches.
FHM permanent collection.

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Public Relations and Support for the Project:
The topic of the Great Famine has a distinguished place in the history of the Forbes House
Museum. The museum’s founder, Henry Ashton Crosby Forbes Ph.D., along with Henry Lee
Ph.D., created a commemorative exhibit and catalog on the famine in 1967, marking the 120th
anniversary of Captain Robert Bennet Forbes’ humanitarian voyage. Calling the exhibition,
Massachusetts Help to Ireland During the Great Famine, Forbes chose to commemorate this
tragic era in Irish history when few had the courage to do so. He highlighted the
unprecedented philanthropic efforts of the New England Relief Committee, whose
membership included his great grandfather, RBF.
In 1847 and 1967 an honorary committee was assembled in support of the philanthropic project
and the commemorative exhibition. In both instances, leaders in the political, religious and
business communities in Boston held distinguished positions on the committee, contributing
funds, goods, scholarship, resources, and in some cases, manual labor to the historic efforts.
The 2017 exhibition, It’s Not An Everyday Matter… to See a Nation Starving will also be
supported by a honorary committee. Those who presently support the project, who will
eventually be invited to join the honorary committee include:
 Grace Brady, Executive Director, Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum
 Daniel Breen, Assistant Curator, Cork Public Museum
 Thomas Carty Esq., Treasurer, Eire Society of Boston
 Edward Duffy, President, Eire Society of Boston
 Robert P. Forbes Ph.D., Trustee, Forbes House Museum
 Miriam Ford, Cork Chamber of Commerce
 Laurence M. Geary Ph.D., Historian and Lecturer, University College Cork
 Kathleen Hickson, writer and educator
 Mary C. Kelly Ph.D., Professor of History, Franklin Pierce University
 Denis Keohane, Selectmen, Town of Milton, MA
 Christine Kinealy Ph.D., author and historian
 Susan Greendyke Lachevre, Trustee, Forbes House Museum
 Patrick Ledwidge, Director of Strategic Planning and Economic Development, Cork City
Council
 Anne Malone, Chair, Board of Trustees, Forbes House Museum
 Captain Michael McCarthy, Commercial Manager, Port of Cork
 Breandan O Caollai, Consul General of Ireland (Boston)
 Niamh O’Sullivan, Curator, Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum, Quinnipiac University
 Paul McNamara, President Emeritus, Charitable Irish Society of Boston
 Maureen Murphy, Ph.D., Professor of Irish History, Hofstra University
 Peter Murray, Director of the Crawford Gallery of Art
 Catherine B. Shannon Ph.D., Professor Emerita of History, Westfield State University
 Margaret and Jim Sullivan Esq., Milton, MA

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It’s Not An Everyday Matter…. To See a Nation Starving
Exhibition Schematic