Minister O’Donovan set to preside over the International Famine Commemoration 2025, Gaelic Park, Chicago, Illinois, 2 November 2025
- Published on: 31 October 2025
- Last updated on: 31 October 2025
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, and Chair of the National Famine Commemoration Committee, Patrick O’Donovan TD, will on Sunday, 2 November lead the 2025 International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine at Gaelic Park, Chicago, Illinois.
The International Famine Commemoration is held to honour the memory of those who suffered and died during An Gorta Mór, and to acknowledge its profound global impact. The 2025 ceremony is organised in collaboration with the local Irish American community, the Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The commemoration will incorporate reflection, music, community and symbolic remembrance. Vice President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Patricia Theresa Flynn, will give an address and there will be performances by the Chicago Singers, and a reading of Eavan Boland’s Quarantine. The ceremony will conclude with a solemn wreath-laying at Chicago’s Famine Memorial, accompanied by a Piper’s Lament, a minute of silent reflection, and the Irish National Anthem.
Speaking of the event Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD., who will give the keynote address said:
“The Famine was a turning point in Irish history. Its impact on our people, our land, and our collective memory cannot be overstated. It shattered families and communities, transformed the Irish landscape, and gave rise to a global Irish presence that continues to shape the world to this day.
“For the Irish who crossed the Atlantic, America represented both refuge and renewal. They endured unimaginable hardship but transformed loss into legacy, and pain into progress. In cities like Chicago, the descendants of famine emigrants rose to positions of leadership, contributed to public life, and helped forge the deep and enduring bond between our nations.
“This Commemoration is not only about memory; it is about responsibility. The legacy of the Famine calls on us to stand in solidarity with all those who still face hunger, displacement and hardship across the world today.”
Since its establishment in 2008, the International Famine Commemoration has been hosted in cities around the world with strong Irish connections, including New York, Sydney, Liverpool and Toronto. This year’s event in Chicago recognised the city’s enduring role as a home for generations of Irish emigrants, and its proud place in Irish American history.
Gaelic Park, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, has long been recognised as a cornerstone of the Southside Irish community, a place where Irish identity, heritage and tradition continue to thrive. The setting provides a deeply meaningful backdrop for this year’s commemoration, linking the memory of Ireland’s past with the lives and legacy of the Irish in Chicago.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
- The International Famine Commemoration was established in 2008 and has since been held in cities such as New York, Sydney, Liverpool, and Toronto.
- The 2025 ceremony marks the 13th International Famine Commemoration.
- The 2026 National Famine Commemoration will take place in Connacht in May, in keeping with the province rotating format of the commemoration.