World War II Irish hero given a landmark public memorial
Hero priest Hugh O'Flaherty
The statue of Father Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty,
the Irish priest credited with saving the lives of 6,500 Jews and
Allied escapees in Rome during the Second World War, will shortly be
unveiled in his hometown.
The memorial,
created to become a landmark in the popular tourist town of Killarney,
County Kerry will reportedly be unveiled on October 30.
Currently
sculptor Alan Ryan Hall is said to be completing the work in his studio
in Valentia, County Kerry. A Killarney committee commenced the project
five years ago and twenty five submissions were ultimately considered
before Hall's was picked.
Committee
chairman Jerry O’Grady told the press: 'We were immediately struck by
the energy and incredible reality of Alan’s proposal and are thrilled
with the final outcome. From the moment that the full-scale clay model
was sculpted, we were impressed by the superb quality of the piece.'
The
project is entirely dependent on public and corporate donations and
help from Kerry County Council and Killarney Town Council.
Several
books have been written and films made about the legendary Irish
monsignor who helped an estimated 6,500 Jews and Allied escapees flee
Nazi-occupied Rome.
According to the Irish Examiner,
the unveiling will be part of a week-long program of events held in
Killarney, which will reportedly include the premiere of a new one-man
show about the monsignor’s life called God Has No Country, by the
Killarney- born playwright Donal Courtney.
To
underscore O'Flaherty's legacy the fifth annual international
O’Flaherty humanitarian award will also be presented posthumously to the
late Donal Walsh, the Tralee teenager who fundraised for cancer
treatment and suicide awareness
Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Priest-who-saved-thousands-during-Second-World-War-remembered-227507601.html#ixzz2hXHx7W52
Follow us: @IrishCentral on Twitter | IrishCentral on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment