Selected from an international group of more than 100 artists, Glenna Goodacre was chosen to create The Irish Memorial. Her work is world-renowned, best known for the stirring Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the Mall in Washington D.C., which was dedicated in 1993. In a career spanning over five decades, Goodacre formulated her belief in art into sculptures of heroic monuments, sensitive portraits, and vibrant figures. Her commissioned bronze works are in public view in more than 40 countries, winning numerous awards from the National Sculpture Society and the Allied Artists of America.

The “Clay Masher” Technique Known affectionately in the art world as a “Clay Masher,” Goodacre was celebrated for her loose, impressionistic modeling and her ability to breathe life into cold bronze. In her 50-year career, she sculpted over 600 expressive works, ranging from the monumental scale of the Irish Memorial—her largest public piece—to the Sacagawea U.S. Dollar, which remains her most widely circulated work. Her technical mastery, honed at Colorado College and the Art Students League in New York, allowed her to convey deep emotion through intricate surface treatments and patinas.

A Remarkable Feat Measuring 30 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 12 feet high, the Irish Memorial is Goodacre’s largest work. Cast in resilient silicon bronze, the monument serves as both a national attraction and a peaceful place for contemplation in Philadelphia’s Historic District. For this project, she meticulously crafted 35 life-size figures, each capturing a specific chapter of the journey—from the cruel starvation of the Great Hunger to the indomitable resolve found upon arrival in America.