Gillespie’s somber, emaciated figures appear to be marching. Some hold small children and others sacks of their belongings as they trudge toward the end of the dock. Unveiled in 1997 near the departure site of the Perseverance famine ship, they represent the million Irish citizens who emigrated as a result of the famine. The Perseverance was the first of thousands of ships that set sail for America. The despair on the human faces are only heightened by the sculpture of a starving dog traipsing behind them. A harrowing but important attraction to see, the memorial is one of the most photographed public art pieces in all of Ireland.
Time Out tip: A few steps further on the dock, you can learn about the catastrophe aboard the Jeanie Johnston replica famine boat and the museum below deck.
Nearby:
Ely bar and grill: For contemporary Irish cuisine served in restored wine vaults
The Rolling Donut: For uniquely-flavored donuts handmade at a tiny O'Connell Street kiosk for 40 years
Marker Hotel: For spacious rooms and dockland views in an ultramodern luxury hotel