The Ireland Monument-Canada needs your help

ARTISTS’ concept of the proposed Ireland-Canada Monument.

By BRENDAN FLYNN

VANCOUVER – The Ireland Monument-Canada believes there is a wonderful opportunity available to build the monument in the City of Coquitlam, B.C.

In response to documents filed in November, the city has informed the committee that they will contact us once they have completed an overview of their Public Arts program.

In the 1840s, Irish Canadians were arriving in the Province of Quebec in great numbers from Ireland during The Great Hunger, An t-Ocras Mór.

Today in western Canada, it is the City of Coquitlam that has a real connection with Quebec.

During the years 1909-1910 many descendants of those now residing in Coquitlam’s Maillardville district area arrived from Quebec to work at Fraser Mills on the banks of the Fraser River.

Coincidently, it was 1910 that saw the completion of the Celtic Cross on Grosse Île in Quebec by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

During a storm in the 1950s, a stone broke away from the cross and was preserved by the family of Marianna O’Gallagher of Quebec City.

O’Gallagher donated the stone to the Ireland Monument project and it was transferred from Declan Kelly the Irish Ambassador to Canada to Archbishop J. Miller CSV at Place des Arts Coquitlam in October 2009.

The committee hopes that all Canadians will recognize the Irish contribution to Canada and will contribute towards the completion of the Ireland Monument project.

In January the committee forwarded letters to specific groups in Canada, the United States and all 32 counties of Ireland inviting each to be a part of the project with a request that they respond prior to March 31, 2010.

Included in the packages was a cost estimate of the Ireland Monument project. The committee has budgeted an amount of $40,000 that needs to be raised from individual or small corporations.

Broken down, a total of 200 donations of $100 = $20,000; 80 donations of $250 = $20,000 would ensure the $40,000 amount is achieved.

The Committee hopes many will come forward and contribute something. All contributions will be recognized.

Irish Canadians can be proud of their collective contribution to Canada but we need your help to complete the Ireland Monument-Canada.

For more details, call (604) 873-3167 or (604) 942-6413, or see their website at: www.irelandmonumentvancouver.com.