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Boston Irish Famine Memorial
Categories: Local Flavor Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Local Flavor, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
School Street and Washington StreetBoston, MA 02108
Neighborhood: Downtown
(718) 849-4444
- Nearest Transit:
-
350 Washington St (193, 92, 93)
Milk St @ Devonshire St (191, 192, 193, 92, 93)
Devonshire St @ Milk St (92, 93)
- Good for Kids:
- No
6 reviews for Boston Irish Famine Memorial
6 reviews in English
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Review from John L.
6/19/2009
Is it wrong that this statue reminds me of the episode of Arrested Development when GOB and Steve Holt meet at the missing fathers retreat, next to the statue with the kid holding a severed hand? Because it does.
In theory, this should be in a place that's more exposed to the outside world. The Washington St. area, with its practical enclosure due to the large buildings surrounding it, adds a dark ambiance to an already dark period in Irish history. Plopped outside the Borders, it's more of a curiosity than anything else, a wonderment of why those people look so sad, when the brass statues in other squares just kind of look indifferent.
So, it's already in a weird place and it reminds me of an episode of a TV show (albeit a good one). It is a part of my heritage, or possibly just half of it (the other half might be English, so I might actually be oppressing myself here... sweet :D ). So for that, it gets 3 stars, and the hope that people realize it's there, and it's not just annoyed and sad brass people that randomly drifted out of the Borders after trying to fight through a line of "Twilight" fans. -
Review from Jack M.
Boston, MA
6/30/2010
Boston's attempts at public art are woefully inadequate. This town is resplendent with ugly artworks, and ugly buildings. City Hall, anyone?
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This particular piece of "art" is just horrendous, and my least favorite in town. Made up of 2 pieces, one showing an emaciated family and the other, a rather happy and healthy one, this "artwork" is just plain ugly. I can't imagine who thought this was a good idea, or how much it cost the taxpayers to install. Boston, I am disappointed in you. Again. -
Review from Jocelyn G.
Boston, MA
10/28/2008
What I don't understand is why none of the statues have shoes. Wouldn't the half of the statues that are making it in America have shoes?
The pigeons adore these statues, that poor woman almost always has one on her head and hands...and lots of pigeon pooh on them, yuck.
Not the best statues or memorial that Boston could have offered for this immigrant group. -
Review from Tara G.
Cambridge, MA
5/2/2011
I'm mostly posting this review because I saw this symbolized as a park on Google and want to warn tourists that they shouldn't bother -- it's not really a park. It's more like a statue that guards the entrance to a Borders book store. For real parks, try the delightful and closeby Post Office Square (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) or Boston Common.
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Review from Kiwi H.
7/28/2008
Before I begin the review, I'd just like to say - why is this listing in Braintree?! The statues for the Irish Famine Memorial in Boston are located at Washington St. and School St in Downtown Crossing, along the Freedom Trail! Right in front of the Borders in DTX.
It's not so much a park as a little (circular) 'square' around the statues that were erected (yes, I said 'erected', don't laugh, you juvenile) "To commemorate the tragedy of An Gorta Mor and the triumph of those immigrants who came to Boston." There's a bunch of plaques around it with information about this slice of history: "Arriving in Boston", "Crossing the Bowl of Tears", "The American Dream", "Lest We Forget", "Dying Of Hunger", "An Gorta Mor", "Boston Sends Help", "The People Were Gaunt", and I'm not sure if that's the right order. The title of the collective statues isn't super-clear - it's written on a circular plaque on the floor, "Boston Irish Famine Memorial" but it's not something easily noticeable at all.
One of the statues depicts an extremely depressing scene of a family dying of hunger, while the other shows them full of hope as they presumably are in Boston. Now, if you want to learn more about the historical aspect of it, you can read their website (linked above). I think it's great that they erected statues to commemorate those who suffered in this tragedy, but to be honest, I have another sneaky reason for writing this review, and which calls for the 'meh' feeling.
I just kind of wanted to say..
1.) It's not really a park, so I don't know why they call it a park.
2.) There are always some cray-crays around here, including that guy who screams at me about how my life is worthless and I'll burn in the depths of hell if I don't give into the Lord Jesus and his salvation
3.) Last time I was there, someone had put an (actual) apple in the hand of the male figure in the statue of the starving people. It was a little funny to see the apple in the hand, until you realised that it was the starvation statue. I don't know whether it was meant to be a sweet gesture or a mocking one. Hmm.
4.) This place is home to some of the scariest, most vicious pigeons I've seen in Boston, who will stare at you evilly with their beady little eyes, vying for the best plan of attack to surround you then grab a bite (or peck) of your Chacarero sandwich from around the corner. Gaah! -
Review from Craig C.
Boston, MA
3/27/2007
FAMINE MEMORIAL
outside the Borders in front of it. This could be a great place to hang out and eat a Chacarero and enjoy the fresh air but the BRA that's Boston Redevelopment Authority thought that this freakish statue would be better. I mean I get that this is an Irish city with the Celts uniforms and Southie and all the Bulgers and irish pubs every foot but come on! This is silly. It looks like a couple of half starved, half dressed people on Star Trek who were frozen by the giants with the death ray. The woman is on her knees with arms raised begging to a God who apparently ain't listening. It is very disturbing and out of place. No artistic value at all. Even the Holocaust memorial in front of Faneuil Hall left actual suffering Jews out of it. I mean we don't need to see them suffering to empathize. Here is alink. scroll down through all the beauty in Boston and tell me when you get to the famine memorial you don't go, "hey whoah wait a minute, that's not right."
http://www.galenfrysin...
