The Irish Government has declared Sunday, May 17th National Famine Memorial Day. Official Ceremonies will be held at Skibereen, County Cork and on Grosse Ile, Canada’s Ellis Island. Irish communities worldwide are encouraged to hold local events to commemorate the day.

In Chicago, the Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, the American Ireland Fund and Old St. Pat’s Parish in cooperation wit the Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago will mark the day on Sunday, May 17th beginning at 1:30 pm with a wreath laying at the Grainne statue in Heritage Green Park, Adams & Desplaines, followed by a reception at Old St. Pat’s 120 South DesPlaines.

There will be a short presentation in song and story by singer Catherine O’Connell and Mary Pat Kelly, author of “Galway Bay”, an historical novel based on the life of Kelly’s great-great grandmother Honora Kelly who survived the great Starvation of 1840’s Ireland, escaped with her young children to Chicago and settled in Bridgeport. Her grandson was Ed Kelly, Mayor of Chicago to 1933 to 1947. Her great-grandson Father Steve O’Donnell was the legendary former pastor of Old St. Pat’s.

Sunday, May 17
1:30 p.m.
Heritage Green Park
Adams & Desplaines avenues