“A terrible beauty” — Irish independence celebrated as remembrance stone unveiled

Bay Ridge residents now have a permanent monument to mark the struggle for Irish independence, with the unveiling of a commemoration stone at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, 9511 Fourth Avenue.

The stone — which marks the centennial of the 1916 Easter Rising — was unveiled on Saturday, March 19, by the Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Parade Committee in collaboration with the Consulate General of Ireland on the Church grounds.

The stone serves as a tribute to the Irish who gave their lives 100 years ago during and after the organized rebellion, which occurred during Easter week, to free Ireland from British rule.

“As the St. Patrick’s Day Committee associated with St. Patrick’s Church, we promote Irish Catholicism, Irish heritage and letting people know all the sacrifices people made for the freedoms that we enjoy today,” Parade Committee President Frankie Marra stated. People packed the sidewalk outside the St. Patrick’s Church courtyard on Saturday for the unveiling of the stone.

Along with other local representatives and Irish natives, State Senator Marty Golden spoke, “As an Irish-American I’m proud of our rich history and the struggles that we have endured,” he said. “These challenges have made the Irish resilient and strong. God Bless Ireland, God bless the United States of America and God bless each and every one of us in our community.”

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.