Frederick Douglass & His Irish Connections

Frederick Douglass, recently an escapee from slavery in America, arrived in England in 1845 and shortly afterwards travelled to Dublin. He remained in Ireland for four months, overseeing the publication of his first autobiography, delivering lectures and meeting prominent political activists, including Daniel O’Connell. After departing Ireland, he subsequently made four more visits to Belfast in 1846. On this walk we will visit the several places in Dublin which are associated with Douglass during his time in the city. This was a time of political change in Ireland including the recent relief on Irish Catholics in the practice of their religion. However, many Catholics were still living in dire poverty and a deadly famine was stalking the land, especially in the poorer rural areas. Douglass was very moved and heavily influenced by the conditions of the underclass Irish and the work of those who were trying to relieve the situation.