The largest heritage trail in the world has extended to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ambassador of Ireland to Canada, Dr. Eamonn McKee was in St. John’s this week to launch the Global Irish Famine Way at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and introduce something known as The Bronze Shoes monument.

The Global Famine Way is an extension of the National Famine Way in Ireland to recognize and commemorate the enormous impact of the Irish famine of 1845 to 1851 on Ireland—and the world—and St. John’s is the first stop.

The famine resulted in the great Irish diaspora known the world over, as families left Ireland in desperation for places like Canada, the United States, Australia and elsewhere.

McKee says the National Famine Way traces the Irish who left in the 19th century.

“Now is the time to extend it internationally and to trace all of the famine Irish who left in the middle of the 19th century what were pretty terrible conditions in Ireland” says McKee, “in 1847, 100,000 crossed to Canada.”

Many of the Irish who came to Newfoundland came long before the famine, but it still resonates. The heritage trail is marked by bronze shoes says McKee.

“Some years ago they found these 19th century shoes bound together in the patch of a old cottage. We don’t know what the symbolism is,” says McKee “but I suppose most of us could guess that it was about emigrants leaving from home but leaving at home to signify the ties that are never lost.” The National Famine Museum, got the idea of setting shoes in bronze as a powerful symbol of the Irish diaspora.

A reception is planned for this evening at The Rooms, with a public service tomorrow at 11:00 at the Basilica, followed by an afternoon symposium on the significance of the bronze shoes.