The work of Coiste Cuimhneachain an Gorta Mór (Great Hunger Memorial Committee) has reached another milestone as the first designs for the highly anticipated memorial in Glasgow are submitted for consideration.
The site at St Mary’s Church, Abercromby Street, has now been reviewed by prospective designers, and with a range of visions for the memorial now lodged with the committee, the first part of the selection process has begun.
“We are delighted to be able to say that the call for design ideas for the memorial has been very successful and we now have a range of artists who have indicated their interest and their initial ideas,” Coiste Cuimhneachain an Gorta Mór said. “These are artists working in sandstone, iron and glass and many of them have a clear track record of delivering on public realm artwork.
“The committee now have the difficult task of whittling down the entries to six artists who we will then invite to come and talk to us. That should take about three to four weeks. Thereafter, we will commission three of them to produce a fully costed and modelled proposal with a detailed plan for delivery.
“This is a very important stage in the project and the first time we have actually been able to look at the ideas of interested artists.”
This month will also see a fundraising event held in the city to support the work of the committee, with much-loved Glasgow Irish band The wakes providing the entertainment.
Taking place on March 31 in the Glencairn Venue, tickets are priced at £10 and an invitation to join the committee has been issued to the Glasgow Irish as the vital process of raising money begins, and it is hoped that the event will be one of many to support the committee as they work to live up to their motto—We Are Building It.
