Griffith Alum Investigates the Great Hunger in Kilkenny

A microphone in a radio studio

Griffith College alumna Debbie Ridgard visited Kilkenny as part of her studies while completing a Master's degree in Television and Radio Journalism, not to report on sport news or even current events, but to delve into a painful period in the past. Her work, which aired on Beat FM, looked at the enormous impact of the Great Hunger of the 1840s on the southeastern county. In 1840, as her radio documentary points out, the population of Kilkenny was 204,420, but by 1851 it had fallen to 158,000, as a result of death and emigration. 

Debbie's deeply affecting documentary can be heard on SoundCloud, and we look forward to hearing what she does next! 

Debbie works as a broadcast journalist, MOJO and sports presenter on Beat FM.

Learn more about Journalism at Griffith College

A microphone in a radio studio