Around one million people died of starvation and two million fled the country.
Humanitarian aid came from around the world, but there was one group of people whose generosity stood out.
Created by Cork-based artistAlex Pentek, the magnificent, six-meter-tall sculpture is made of stainless steel.
Kindred Spirits' sculpture, Bailic Park, Midleton (Photo viaMike Searle, (CC BY-SA 2.0)
It features a series of giant metal feathers that symbolize the feathers used in Choctaw ceremonies.
The Choctaw Nation felt sympathy towards the Irish people because they too experienced the trauma of leaving their homeland.
As a result, 4,000 people died of hunger, cold, and disease.
Kindred Spirits' sculpture, Bailic Park, Midleton (Photo viaMike Searle, (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In 1990, several Choctaw leaders took part in the first annual Famine walk at Doolough in County Mayo.
Irish President Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation in 1995 to thank them for their aid.
And in 2020, theIrish people raised over $1 million to help the Navajo Nationduring the COVID-19 pandemic.
