Photo: Hugh Campbell's birthplace is now one of the many exhibits at Ulster American Folk Park. Courtesy Ulster American Folk Park.

The story of an Irish emigrant's journey to America is to be told through a series of fascinating diary extracts posted on Ulster American Folk Park's website throughout the summer.

During the 18th and 19th centuries thousands of Irish men, women and children left their homes to seek their fortunes in the United States of America.

Among them was Hugh Campbell, who set off from his family home in Plumbridge, County Tyrone in 1818 bound for New York. Aged just 22, Hugh jotted down his experiences in a journal.

Joining forces with Linenhall Library in Belfast, which holds a copy of Campbell's Journal, Ulster American Folk Park is publishing extracts on its website as they happened.

The entries are timed to coincide with the dates that Campbell refers to in his journal and virtual visitors can trace his progress to the new world week by week and, in some cases, day by day.

Photo: young Hugh Campbell embarked for America on June 23 1818. Courtesy Ulster American Folk Park.

"The idea is to give people a sense of the time it took to go across the Atlantic Ocean," Education Officer, Evelyn Cardwell told the 24 Hour Museum.

The project was inspired by one of the most popular exhibits at the Ulster American Folk Park, the Ship Gallery. With its vivid recreation of the 'tween decks of an emigrant ship, it evokes the conditions experienced by the many people who made the journey across the Atlantic in search of a better life.

But the updates from Hugh Campbell give more of an idea of what it was really like to be a passenger on one of the ships.

In June 1818 Campbell left his home at Aughalane House to travel to New York and a new life. After a series of mishaps he finally set sail from Moville on June 23 and during his voyage kept detailed notes of his experiences.

He wrote about the food he ate, his fellow passengers, the behaviour of the sailors on board and the storms he and his fellow passengers endured.

Ulster American Folk Park is dedicated to telling the story of the thousands of Irish emigrants who made the trip to America.

Photo: the ship gallery at the museum gives some idea of what life was like on board emigrant ships 200 years ago. Courtesy Ulster American Folk Park.

"Emigrants came from all over the north at this stage," said Evelyn Cardwell, " so it was fairly common."

While many left in search of riches Hugh Campbell, Evelyn explained, was already something of a wealthy man.

"He wasn’t poverty stricken and at that stage he was about 22 years of age," she said. "There were four sons in the family at the time and perhaps he thought that although he would inherit some of the family lands, there were more opportunities in America."

Campbell arrived in New York in mid-September, but continued adding to his journal as he set about making a new life for himself.

So, to keep up with his experiences on the ocean wave and catch his latest missive click here to visit Ulster American Folk Park's news page.