Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial Unveiled 25 Years Ago, July 23, 1997

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Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz

Twenty-five years ago, on Wednesday, July 23, 1997, Ireland's President Mary Robinson officially helped dedicate the Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a tribute to the 150th anniversary of Ireland's Great Hunger, known as An Gorta Mor.

Nearly 4,000+ people attended the ceremony in the iconic Cambridge Common near Harvard Square, which also includes the Cambridge Civil War Monument designed by Irish immigrant Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1870.

The Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial was created by Maurice Harron of Derry, Northern Ireland, who said the sculpture "is meant to convey the tragedy, two people dying, two people escaping, the fearful guilt of leaving loved ones behind, and the will to carry on."

At the dedication ceremony, President Robinson said, "Part of looking back and remembering was to link the Irish famine with modern famine and hunger and inequalities in our world.  It reinforced a very strong commitment of the Irish people to developing countries."

The Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial was spearheaded by John Flaherty, an immigrant from Galway who is active in the greater Boston Irish-American community, and Una Barrett of Dublin, who was head of development.   A major donor to the project was local businessman John O'Connor.  The project was supported by the city's diverse community of politicians, activists, neighborhood residents and historians, including the Cambridge Historical Society.

Here is a compilation of other Irish landmarks in Cambridge, MA, compiled by the Boston Irish Tourism Association.

Find out more about Irish history in greater Boston by visiting IrishHeritageTrail.com.

For details on visiting Cambridge, Massachusetts, go to CambridgeUSA.org.


To visit by public transit:
Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial
Cambridge Common
Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard Square

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