Jeanie Johnston sails for Belfast

The replica famine ship Jeanie Johnston is to set sail from Dublin to Belfast today.

The 150ft triple-masted vessel was built in memory of the Jeanie Johnston, which carried Irish emigrants to the US during the 19th-century potato famine.

It was due to open its “floating museum” on arrival at Belfast Port at the weekend, before embarking on a voyage to the United States in mid-February.

The original Jeanie Johnston was built in Quebec in 1847 by Scottish-born shipbuilder John Munn.

It was purchased for use as a cargo vessel but was then used to transport emigrants once the famine took hold in Ireland.

From 1848 to 1855 it carried more than 2,500 emigrants to North America, and despite harsh conditions never lost a passenger.

Work on the replica Jeanie Johnston began in 1998 and was completed in 2002 in Co Kerry. It has been on display in Dublin for the past few weeks.

The actual cost of the project has run to €13.6m, about four times the original estimate.

Following sea trials at the weekend it was preparing to leave for Belfast under the command of Captain Tom McCarthy.

It will be on display to the Belfast public over the weekend, and will then travel to Waterford and Tralee before leaving for the US.