Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial

About

Providence, RI

2007

 

This multi-component memorial commemorates the history of the Great Famine in Ireland (1845-1851) and everyone affected by it. The timeline describes in text and relief sculpture the beginning of the Famine and its effects, the trips of thousands of Irish across the Atlantic, and the new lives many made in Providence. In addition, a heroic-sized bronze sculpture composition of three figures acts as both a pieta in mourning the loss of so many and a sign of hope as the standing male figure looks towards the future for Famine victims in America. The redesigned landscape and walkways create a peaceful location for remembrance and memorial events. In 2016, Robert and his team added a monument to the site to commemorate the Easter Rising of 1916 and those who were executed. In 2023, they added a similar monument commemorating the men who died during the 1981 Hunger Strike.