The replica Famine ship Jeanie Johnstonhas set sail for Ireland following a tour of the United States and Canada.
The ship left Fenit, Co Kerry, on Sunday, February 16th last, and set sail from Quebec this evening.
"Her North American tour has been phenomenally successful with some very emotional visits especially to the quarantine islands of Grosse-Ile and Middle Island in Quebec where thousands are buried from the coffin ships of the famine years", said Mr Denis Reen, Chief Executive of the Jeanie Johnston Company.
During the tour the Jeanie Johnston called at Bristol, Pennsylvania, and Port Jefferson, Long Island, New York, where thousands queued for hours to visit her.
She also visited Philadelphia, Washington, New York, Boston, Montreal and, Quebec City, where the original ship was built.
The Jeanie Johnston will make one last stop on the way back to Ireland when she calls to St John's, Newfoundland, where she will spend one week prior to crossing the North Atlantic home Fenit. She is due to arrive back in mid-November following the three week crossing.
