EXPLORE THE MEMORIAL
A MASTERPIECE OF BRONZE AND HISTORY
A GEM IN OUR OWN BACKYARD
The Irish Memorial is a ‘must see’ when you visit Philadelphia. And for Philadelphia residents, it is such a gem to have right in our backyard. Don’t expect flashy, but we can guarantee that you will come away with more than you arrived with. Trip Advisor and Yelp reviews (amongst others) can affirm the profound impact of this site.
The massive bronze monument contains 35 life-sized figures.
GLENNA GOODACRE'S VISION
The Irish Memorial to “An Gorta Mór” (Irish for “the Great Hunger”), was designed by celebrated bronze artist Glenna Goodacre, who is also responsible for the acclaimed Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC.
Approximately 12 feet high, 30 feet long, and 12 feet wide, the massive bronze casting contains 35 individual figures arranged in vignettes. Together, they represent the harrowing journey from the despair of starvation to the hope of the Irish immigrant’s story in America.
Goodacre’s extraordinary ability to capture raw human emotion in bronze brings this tragic and triumphant history to life. The sheer scale of the sculpture demands attention, inviting visitors to walk completely around its perimeter to absorb the countless personal stories woven into the metal. From the intricate textures of the woven shawls to the deeply expressive faces of the refugees, the craftsmanship stands as a profound tribute to the millions who perished and the millions who endured to build anew.
A NARRATIVE IN BRONZE
On the east end and lowest point of the monument, an anguished woman clutches her rag-swaddled child while another digs for potatoes in the shadow of Celtic crosses marking graves, as a distressed young boy looks on. These haunting figures capture the devastation of “An Gorta Mór,” where families were forced to watch their livelihoods wither into putrid, black fields.
Moving along the bronze canvas, the narrative begins to shift. You witness the desperate boarding of the infamous “coffin ships,” where survival was uncertain and the journey was agonizing. Yet, the figures begin to rise, their postures changing from sorrow to anticipation as they cross the turbulent Atlantic.
As you walk toward its highest point, the sculpture transforms entirely. It depicts the arrival of the forward-looking emigres at the docks in America where they will start a new and better life. They step onto foreign soil with determination, greeted by a waving figure on the ground that speaks of hard-won hope and the enduring promise of a new world.
THE MEMORIAL PLYNTHS
Eight memorial plynths line the surrounding walkways of The Memorial park. A plaque on each describes a different aspect of the Great Hunger, from the events leading up to the potato blight that led to “An Gorta Mór“, to the deaths of a million Irish people and the emigration of more than a million more. Each of the paths is carefully oriented to highlight the principal themes of the sculpture.
READY TO SEE IT IN PERSON?
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