Protests over closure of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum
As the United States begins to return to a post-pandemic normality, the “end-emic” may not see the re-opening of one beloved institution for the Irish American community.
Protests have been held over the closing of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. The museum, which displays the largest collection of famine artifacts, closed its doors in early 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
200 people attended the demonstration last weekend outside the museum which houses artifacts such as a sculpture, “Famine Mother and Children”, by John Behan, who has commissioned famous famine memorials throughout Ireland. Also included in the collection is a stained glass window inscribed with “An Gorta Mór” which translates to “The Great Hunger.”
The museum was opened in 2012, spear-headed by former university President John L. Lahey. However, in 2019, Quinnipiac announced the museum had until June 2020 to prove it could become self-sufficient or face permanent closure.
Turlough McConnell spokesperson for the committee to save Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum said the museum “was never intended as a money-making enterprise but as an educational enterprise.”
McConnell expressed the committee’s desire to have the museum, in its entirety, moved to another location if the university was unwilling to reverse its decision. The protests held in support of the museum, desired not only to keep the vast collection of artifacts together but also to emphasize the relevance of the Great Hunger or the “Irish Potato Famine” within American culture.
Between 1845 and 1852, Ireland saw a dramatic decline in its population with 1 million people dying as a result of crop contamination and over 2 million people emigrating, primarily to North America.
“The Great Hunger is Ireland’s definitive national story. It also is an American story because of the impact on America’s urban landscape. So many Americans trace their stories to famine refugees,” said McConnell.
The famine not only tells the story of Irish and American relations but also those of Britain and Ireland. As the potato blight ravaged the crop across Ireland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain further compounded the suffering of the Irish nation.
In 1997, the office of Prime Minister Tony Blair released a statement in commemoration of the famine. “Those who governed in London at the time failed their people through standing by while a crop failure turned into a massive human tragedy.”
It was around this time that Mr. Lahey, who had been president of Quinnipiac since 1987, began to consider using the famine-related art collection he had acquired on behalf of the university to educate the American public on the atrocity.
Mr. Lahey, who retired in 2018, released a statement on current President Judy Olian administration’s decision to close the museum.
“I am perplexed why anyone in this day and time would even consider closing a museum dedicated to educating people about the evils of discrimination and bigotry.”
Mr. Lahey continued, “In the case of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum, whose mission is educating people about one of the worst cases of state-sponsored discrimination and bigotry in 19th century Europe and the worst case of anti-Irish and anti-Catholic discrimination and bigotry in all of history.”
Larry Kirwan, co-founder of Celtic rock band Black 47, named after the worst year of the famine, 1847, has expressed his disbelief at the closure of the museum.
“The Great Hunger was the Irish Holocaust, no two ways about it. It’s no small thing to us that the museum is being closed.”
A Facebook group to support the museum was set up by McConnell in September and has since surpassed 2,100 members.
NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade Announced for 2022
In more cheerful news for the Irish community of the Tri-State area, New York City will once again see its streets flooded with green clad spectators as the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade makes a return for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The parade will be celebrating 260 years of marching. The New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade first took place in 1762, 14 years before America was officially founded. The event is the oldest and biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade held anywhere in the world, including the Emerald Isle.
It began when homesick Irish expats would revel in the freedom to wear green, speak Irish, and celebrate traditional Irish music, all of which was risky behavior in their homeland at the time due to English occupation.
The parade, as always, will follow a route along Fifth Avenue where it will stop for review by Cardinal Timothy Dolan outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, as has been tradition since its inception.
New York City officially shut down on St. Patrick’s Day 2020 as Covid-19 spread rapidly through all five boroughs. The parade was again cancelled this year due to the continuous number of high cases reported and the lack of access to a vaccine at the time (only those who met the criteria of age, occupation or were deemed “high risk” were eligible at that point).
St. Brigid’s Day set to be new Irish Bank Holiday
And across the Atlantic commemorations of another patron saint who holds a special place in Irish hearts could soon take place. St. Brigid’s Day is set to become Ireland’s 10th bank holiday, beginning in 2022. The holiday will be celebrated on the Monday which falls closest to February 1st, Ireland’s first day of spring.
The introduction of a new bank holiday was promoted as a thank you to Irish frontline workers who were essential throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has been hinted that the celebration could be a once off affair rather than an annual event. This suggestion was not met kindly by the Irish public, especially essential workers, most of whom are required to work during bank holidays.
Ireland currently has only nine bank holidays while the European average is 12.
St. Brigid is celebrated on the Emerald Isle for nurturing the land after harsh winters as well as her messages of peace and justice. Senator Fiona O’Loughlin recently spoke at the Seanad, calling St. Brigid “the Greta Thunberg for our generation.”
“She was a keen environmentalist who nurtured the land and physicians. She was an incredible role model. She really was the first feminist we had.”
Other suggestions for the new bank holiday have included the American tradition of Thanksgiving as well as making St. Patrick’s Day into a four-day weekend. Perhaps the most divisive nomination has been the 12th of July, a holiday in Northern Ireland which commemorates King William of Orange’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne. The celebration highlights the differing views of unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland, particularly during the ‘Troubles’, and would often end in violence.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has yet to confirm whether the 31st of January, the day before St. Brigid’s Day is to become the new bank holiday.
To read more about St. Brigid, from her origins to her place as a patron saint within Irish culture click here.
Ireland Celebrates 100 years of Women Practicing Law
And in further celebration of Irish women, President Michael D. Higgins hosted a reception this week to mark the centenary of the call of Irish women to the Bar.
On 1 November 1921, Frances Kyle and Averil Deverell made history as the first women to achieve the title of barrister in Ireland or Britain. Ms. Kyle achieved first place in her Bar examinations, while Ms. Deverell was the first woman to practice as a barrister on either island.
President Higgins welcomed a number of prominent women who have served in the Law in Ireland to mark the occasion. Guests to Áras an Uachtaráin , the residence of the Irish president, included the President of the High Court, Ms. Justice Mary Irvine, the President of the Circuit Court, Judge Patricia Ryan, retired Judges of the Supreme Court, Ms. Justice Catherine McGuinness, and Ms. Justice Fidelma Macken as well as the first female Attorney General and Judge of the Court of Appeal, Ms. Justice Máire Whelan, and the Chair of the Council of the Bar of Ireland Ms. Maura McNally S.C.
Speaking at the event, President Higgins said:
“One hundred years ago, Frances Kyle and Avril Deverall broke new ground by allowing society to envision a legal system that would compromise diverse and different faces. Across that century many women, including so many of you here today, have taken up that baton and played their role in moving us towards a day when women working at all levels within the legal profession, or indeed any profession, will be the norm and not the exception.”
This has certainly been the case, as the legal year 2020/21 saw the percentage of new female members reach 50% for the first time. Ireland’s first feminist would be proud!
Kenneth Branagh’s film ‘Belfast’ debuts in its Namesake
Speaking of Irish pride, Belfast Film Festival (4-13 November) has taken on the theme of “Bringing it all Back Home” to celebrate its 21st year.
Belfast-Born Kenneth Branagh will headline the festival with his newly acclaimed film “Belfast”. The film, directed by Branagh, stars Catríona Balfe, Dame Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds and introduces new talent in 10-year-old Jude Hill.
“Belfast” tells the story of a young boy’s childhood as he grows up in Northern Ireland during the ‘Troubles’ in the late 1960s.
The film features music from Belfast-native Van Morrison, including a new song written by Morrison especially for the soundtrack.
“Belfast” had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and went on to win the People’s Choice Award after its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. It has been slated for Oscar success next year.
In keeping with the festivals theme Branagh said “I am fortunate to have attended film festivals throughout the world for this most personal of films, but it was always my hope that we might be invited to bring ‘Belfast’ home.”
The film is set for release in the United States on 12 November.
Fighting Irish to face Navy rivals in Ireland
Irish pride is abundant today as The Fighting Irish take on their old rivals, the Naval Academy, at 3.30pm ET at South Bend, Indiana. The game comes just days after it was announced the football rivals will travel to Dublin in 2023 where they will face off in Aviva Stadium.
The bout will be Notre Dame’s first game on Irish soil since 2012.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin welcomed the news. “The past year and a half have been challenging for us all in Ireland and the United States. Today’s announcement that Notre Dame will play its first-ever home game against Navy is extremely exciting and welcome news.”
The Taoiseach went on to emphasize the effect such an event will have on post-pandemic tourism for the Emerald Isle.
“The movement of this game to Ireland will provide a significant boost to our tourism and hospitality industries. We will have a very special welcome ready for the teams and supporters of Notre Dame and Navy when they visit us for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in August 2023.”
Chet Gladchuk, Director of Athletics at Navy, expressed the side’s enthusiasm for the sport to be returning to Aviva Stadium. “In 2012, it was one of the greatest airlifts in all of sports when more than 35,000 people coming from the United States to witness the beauty of Ireland and the pageantry that is a Navy-Notre Dame football weekend. We expect just as many people to return in 2023. The Navy fan-based support and enthusiasm for this game in Ireland is already overwhelming and with the ongoing support of the Prime Minister and Irish government, it will again be an extraordinary experience. We look forward to our visit and a competitive contest against Notre Dame in a country that knows no bounds for hospitality.”
The game will mark the 96th meeting between the sides and will be aired on NBC and its online affiliate Peacock on August 23, so mark your calendars now folks!♦
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