Monday, May 15, 2006

Irish Hunger Memorial

Okay, this is the last of my New York reports. I don't want to be that fella who makes everybody sit through endless vacation slides.

On Saturday we visited the Irish Hunger Memorial in lower Manhattan. Dedicated in 2003, it's a quarter-acre site (recalling a clause to the Irish Poor Law stipulating that no person occupying land of more than one-quarter acres was eligible for relief) on an elevated, canted concrete slab. Soil, plants, and the reconstructed ruins of an 18th century cottage were brought from Western Ireland and placed in this urban setting along Battery City Park to create the monument. The base is surrounded by quotes on not just An Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger that brought so many of us here, but on hunger and famine worldwide and contemporary. It's a moving monument and well worth a visit.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

HI there, that's a great monument you have. Maybe you'd like to have a look at the one we have in Sydney australia. It's at www.irishfaminememorial.org though we will be making changes to it in the near future.
warm regards
trevor (mcClaughlin)