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Time for reflection
Some of us were there more than 10 years ago, when the drapes rose over sculptor Glenna Goodacre’s breathtaking 30-foot-long bronze commemorating the 150th anniversary of Ireland’s Great Hunger. It was in a cavernous dockside warehouse in Chester—and it was a dramatic reveal.
More than a few people in the building knew exactly what they were going to see—they’d been deeply involved in the long and difficult effort to turn a grand vision into a reality. For the rest of us, it was quite a revelation—and a tribute not only to those who suffered so terribly and died from Britains’ systematic, state-sponsored starvation in the 1840s, but to all of those stubborn, determined people who were responsible for honoring their memory.
It’s hard to believe to believe the monument first took up residence at Front and Chestnut a decade ago. It still stands as one of the Philadelphia Irish community’s proudest tributes. And this past Saturday, it was time to re-dedicate the memorial—and afterward to celebrate with a gala at the Hyatt Regency just across I-95.
We have more than 40 photos of the re-dedication and the gala. Check them out here.
