Irish Group Commemorates Brig St. John in Cohasset on October 6




The Massachusetts Ancient Order of Hibernians Plymouth Division 9, is holding its annual commemoration of the Brig St. John on Sunday, October 6, 2013, to remember the 99 Irish immigrants who drowned off the coast of Cohasset, Massachusetts in October, 1849.

The event starts at 1:00 pm with a mass at St. Anthony’s Church, 129 South Main Street in Cohasset, followed by a reception at the church hall.  Then the participants will walk over to the Cohasset Central Cemetery for a brief wreath-laying ceremony at the foot of the Celtic Cross, which was placed there by the Ancient Order of Hibernians in 1914.

The Brig St. John was traveling with 104 passengers and 16 sailors from Galway to Boston Harbor on October 7th, 1849, when it encountered a Nor’ Easter that was raising havoc with the coast. The storm pushed the boat south as the Brig St. John unsuccessfully tried to anchor near Minot Light. Local residents made valiant attempts to save lives and spent days trying to recover bodies of the drowned victims.  Most of the passengers were lost at sea, but the bodies of 45 victims were recovered from the surf and laid to rest in the cemetery.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information call Dr. Bill O’Connell at 781-585-8181.

To learn more about Irish history in Massachusetts, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com

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