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irish famine memorial

Phoenix Remembers the Great Hunger

By Irish America Staff
October / November 2019

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The 2019 International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, November 3. Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, Josepha Madigan T.D., made the announcement in July.  “This year’s commemoration represents an opportunity to not only recognize the work … [Read more...] about Phoenix Remembers the Great Hunger

In the Shoes of Refugees

By Christine Kinealy, Contributor
August / September 2019

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Walking in the footsteps of 1,490 Irish exiled in 1847. ℘℘℘ In 2017, and again in 2019, I was honored to be part of a small group of five historians who were invited by Caroilin Callery of the Irish Heritage Trust to follow in the footsteps of 1,490 refugees from the Great Hunger. As a historian, I have researched and written extensively about the Famine since completing my … [Read more...] about In the Shoes of Refugees

The First Word: What Falls Away

By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief
October / November 2002

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"One hundred and fifty years after the Famine, the spirit of the Irish people was the backbone which America relied upon during the worst attack in our nation's history."  – Rudy Giuliani at the Irish Famine memorial dedication in New York. It's hard to believe it's only a year. So much has changed, it seems as if it should have taken several lifetimes. The oddest thing is … [Read more...] about The First Word: What Falls Away

NYC’s Famine Memorial

By Tom Deignan, Columnist
October / November 2002

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The haunting Irish Hunger Memorial, unveiled on July 16 in downtown Manhattan, offers visitors a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. This is fitting, given that these landmarks have greeted generations of Irish immigrants to New York City. Sadly, however, as visitors will learn, your eyes cannot avoid another site -- Ground Zero, just footsteps from the … [Read more...] about NYC’s Famine Memorial

A Call to Remember

By Elizabeth Raggi, Contributor
August / September 2001

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The Irish Memorial in Philadelphia is one of many Famine memorials springing up across the United States. But how does one show that the one million dead were once living, breathing, loving, laughing humans? And how does one move from the tragedy to the promise of new life that America offered? Sculptor Glenna Goodacre is no novice to daunting tasks. Her ability to capture … [Read more...] about A Call to Remember