THE story of the 19th Century famine families of County Mayo in Ireland will be told at an event in Darlington this week.
Colin Brannigan will tell the story of Mary Brannigan, who was orphaned and sent to Canada when she was 13, and adopted by a French-speaking family with 14 children.
She spoke French and Pikuni - the language of the native Blackfoot Indian.
Her grandparents and four members of her family fled when the potato crop failed - only for all six to die in an English workhouse.
Mr Brannigan spent four years researching his family history and this has resulted in the publication of his book, From the Potato Famine to the Palace.
His talk takes place at Walkington House, in Vane Terrace, on Wednesday, at 7.30pm.
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