Korashime's Corner

The original was built in 1847 in Quebec, Canada, as a cargo ship and later acquired by merchants from Tralee (County Kerry). Between 1848 and 1855, she made 16 crossings across the Atlantic, bringing around 2,500 emigrants safely to North America. Unlike many other so-called ‘coffin ships’, on which disease and death were rife, not a single passenger or crew member died on the Jeanie Johnston during any of her voyages. This is attributed to the responsible captain, James Attridge, and the presence of a qualified doctor on board. The ship sank in 1858 on her way to Quebec when she was loaded with timber and took on water. The entire crew survived this accident as well.