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History records that during the Great Famine (1845-1849), the Ottomans sent aid to Ireland.

Reports say that Sultan Abdülmecit wanted to send £10,000 to the people of Ireland, but that Queen Victoria asked him to reduce the amount to £1,000 because she had sent only £2,000. The Sultan, it is said, acceded to her wishes, but in addition to the money, he sent five ship loads of food ... in secret. From what I recall, the arrival of the ships in Dublin was blockaded by the English, so the foodstuff was unloaded in Drogheda instead.

It was this story that took us to Drogheda. After lunch, we took care of a few errands, and then went in search of a plaque of gratitude honoring the aid. It wasn’t easy to find, but a volunteer at the visitor center directed us to the Westcourt Hotel and told us to look above the entrance to the property!

P.S. Note added in January 2021 ... Apparently, there is a movie in pre-production — titled, Famine — that tells the story of this charitable event. Whether it will ever be released is TBD.Læs mere