Editor's Note: Turlough McConnell, Chair of Ireland's Great Hunger Bord, issued this Letter to the Editors of IrishCentral in response to IrishCentral Contributor Patrick 'Paddy' Gannon's piece published on July 14.
The following is Turlough McConnell's Letter to the Editors of IrishCentral:
IrishCentral's July 14 story "Kerryman leads charge to save Great Hunger collection in America" mischaracterizes the current situation facing Ireland's Great Hunger Museum collection.
While well-intentioned, the article presents an overly optimistic view that fails to address the fundamental challenges facing this undertaking, particularly the $5 million immediately needed to properly house and maintain this important cultural resource.
The story references support from governmental sources to provide funding that has not been confirmed.
Additionally, the Gaelic American Club of Fairfield has never taken a formal membership vote to define its purported relationship with this initiative, raising questions about the legitimacy of claimed partnerships.
While IrishCentral correctly reports that several Fairfield-based individuals have partnered with Quinnipiac University to serve as new caretakers and curators of the collection, we believe this arrangement shields Quinnipiac from its ongoing responsibilities regarding the collection and museum in Hamden that has been shuttered since 2020.
Our primary concern is that the selection of the Ireland's Great Hunger Museum Fairfield (IGHMF) as the collection's future steward lacks proper due diligence. This newly created organization does not possess the qualifications necessary for the complex responsibilities of museum management or the obligations inherent in using such a collection for public education. Their current financial position and speculative timeline raise serious questions about long-term viability.
While the IGHMF group undoubtedly means well, it appears unlikely they can deliver on the standards of permanence, public service, and professional administration that define accredited and other acclaimed museums.
Leaving this significant collection in limbo is culturally irresponsible. Some Irish art critics, particularly The Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole, have brought the issue to national prominence in Ireland, while others have described the current situation as "cultural vandalism."
For the past four years, our supporters have appealed to the University administration to reopen the museum until an appropriate partner with proven academic and financial capabilities can be identified for long-term stewardship. 1,500 Quinnipiac students have also instigated an online petition to reverse the decision to close.
We have engaged the Connecticut Attorney General's office on this matter consistently and diligently since the beginning of this crisis five years ago. We remain committed to amplifying the voices of the campus community, the region's cultural leaders, Irish Americans, and other concerned parties that all call for a more realistic, impactful, and effective future for this museum.
There is a priceless story of human struggle - true today as it ever was in mid-1800s Ireland - that people yearn to understand through art experiences. This collection proved vibrantly how that tragedy could be told in ways that resonate with global audiences today. Such an important cultural resource deserves stewardship that matches its significance.
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