A Journey of Hope: The Irish American Immigrant Experience

Extended until 6 September 2026

Opening night - A Journey of Hope - At The Lockwood Mathews Mansion, Norwalk Connecticut

Presented at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in collaboration with Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield and on loan from Quinnipiac University, A Journey of Hope explores the profound legacy of Irish emigration to America during and after the Great Famine.

Through a powerful collection of 19th-century and contemporary paintings and sculpture, the exhibition reflects on the human experience of displacement, resilience, and survival. Three paintings by Tracy Sweeney form part of the exhibition’s contemporary voice—offering a nuanced, personal response that connects historic narratives of loss and endurance with present-day perspectives on migration and identity.

Installed across both the Mansion’s grand galleries and its historic Servants’ Quarters—once home to Irish domestic staff—the exhibition offers a deeply contextual and immersive perspective.

Rooted in Irish history yet resonating with global themes of migration and refuge, A Journey of Hope invites reflection on past and present journeys shaped by necessity, courage, and hope.