An Introduction to Irish America's Special Great Hunger Issue

"Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the living." -Mother Jones

Seeing one so young who bore my family name was a jolt to the heart. While we tend to think of the Famine as happening eons ago – it was just two 80-year life spans ago.

There are many memorials around the world that remember whose who died but seeing the names in the Canadian archives, I wished for one more, one that would release these names and put them somewhere more visible. Perhaps those involved in planning the Irish American Museum we wrote about in the last issue will do just that.

But even as I make this wish, I’m reminded of Mother Jones, the great American Labor leader, who immigrated during the Famine, lost her children and husband to yellow fever, and became know as the “Angel of the camps” for her work with the miners. She said, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” I suspect those who died in the Great Hunger would have us direct our efforts towards a “Living Memorial” and focus our attention on today’s hungry and homeless. There are many fine organizations who can help us do just that, including Concern Worldwide. www.concernusa.org.

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