Bronze shoes brought to St. John’s to mark beginning of Irish famine heritage trail

What will become an international trail of Irish famine victims began in St. John's this week, a reflection of what the country's ambassador calls the strength of the Irish diaspora in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A trail of bronze shoes, cast from real antique shoes discovered bundled in the thatch of a 19th-century cottage in Ireland, will stretch from Canada to as far away as Australia.

Ambassador Eamonn McKee says by the time it's completed, it'll be the longest heritage trail in the world, marking the journey of Irish famine victims as they dispersed around the globe.

"They were looking for new homes and new futures, essentially for survival," McKee said. "It's a really historic event."

More than 100,000 Irish immigrants fled after a destructive mold ruined potato crops across the country. They crossed to St. John's on ships over the Atlantic, often in crowded and unsanitary conditions.

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