Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial in Providence Honors 19th Century Victims and Survivors

Image Courtesy of Skylight Studios

The Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial is a permanent memorial in the capital city of Providence that commemorates the victims and survivors of Ireland's famine years in the mid-19th century. The memorial occupies a prominent location at Dyer's Landing along the River Walk in Providence.

Created by sculptor Robert Shure of Skylight Studios, the Memorial was dedicated on November 17, 2007, and attended by dignitaries, elected officials, famine memorial committee members and leaders from the Irish-American community.

The memorial is described by its organizers as a larger-than-life statue of three Irish figures sitting on a round stone base, bordered by a walkway that incorporates the donor-bricks and flagstones. The walkway leads to a commemorative wall that narrates the history of the famine amid the Irish immigration. The sidewalk beneath the wall incorporates an outline map depicting the coasts of America and Ireland, emphasizing the courageous journey of the Irish people to the United States.

Skylight Studio describes the memorial as follows: "The timeline describes in text and sculpture relief 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."

Location of the Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial

In 2016, a monument was added to the site commemorating the Easter Rising of 1916, where Irish people attempted to oust the British government from Ireland.

The Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial Committee included: Raymond McKenna, Pauline Grant, Claire Barrett, Catherine Miller, Anne Burns, John F. O’Gara, Thomas P. Gill, Michael P. Doran, Dr. Donald Deignan, Dr. Scott Malloy, Father Dan Trainor, Irish Ceilidh Club of R.I., R.I. Police Officers Emerald Society, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Ancient Order of Hibernians Ladies Division, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Labor History Society of Rhode Island, The Museum of Newport Irish History, Irish-American Coastal Club, Irish Cultural Association of R.I., Irish Northern Aid of Rhode Island, Ireland’s 32 Society, R.I. Irish Historical-Genealogical Society.

Read the Irish Massachusetts blog, published by Boston Irish Tourism Association, for information on other Irish famine memorials in Massachusetts.

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