Culture
04 Aug 21

Lord Mayor of Dublin launches inaugural Frederick Douglass Dublin Trail with Nettie Washington Douglass

Nettie Washington Douglass is Frederick Douglass' great great granddaughter.

Alison Gilliland, Lord Mayor of Dublin, has officially launched a new Frederick Douglass Dublin Trail at Dublin's Mansion House.

The walk, created by historian Professor Christine Kinealy, will stretch from 35 Eccles Street – where Douglass once stayed – to City Hall (formerly The Royal Exchange) on Dame Street, where Douglass lectured.

The Lord Mayor and Professor Kinealy were joined by the great great granddaughter of Frederick Douglass, Nettie Washington Douglass.

Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave, whose life was transformed during a four month visit to Ireland in 1845, during which he met with Daniel O'Connell.

This is the first of several Frederick Douglass Ireland Trails developed by Professor Kinealy, Director of the Ireland Institute, Quinnipiac University, USA, with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Douglass Trails for Belfast, Cork, Wexford and Waterford are all in production. Each Trail has an accompanying historical booklet, and map similar to the Dublin map and booklet.

Professor Kinealy and Nettie Washington Douglass will lead today's walk to places associated with Frederick Douglass's stay, accompanied by 20 young Frederick Douglass Fellows, currently on a month's study visit to Ireland, organised by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).

While launching the Dublin Trail today, the Lord Mayor recalled the invitation extended to Douglass by her predecessor in 1845 to dine at the Mansion House:

"Dining in the Mansion House in Dublin was a kindness that Frederick Douglass treasured for the rest of his life," she said. "It is therefore appropriate that this beautiful historic building should be the starting point for the launch of the Frederick Douglass Trail in Dublin. And how appropriate that this should be done in the presence of Frederick’s great great grand-daughter, Nettie Washington Douglass, accompanied by 20 Frederick Douglass Fellows from the Council on International Educational Exchange, as well as its creator, Professor Christine Kinealy."