News Release
Mayor Kelly, Irish Dedicate New Downtown Square
(Wednesday, March 17/2004)-- A piece of municipally-owned land in downtown Halifax was renamed St. Patrick's Green this morning to commemorate Irish immigrants who settled in this community over the years.
Mayor Peter Kelly presented Terence Donahoe, president of the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax, with an official copy of the Halifax Regional Council resolution granting special status to the site and approving its re-naming to St. Patrick's Green on Market Square. The lands are located on George Street, at the foot of Lower Water Street.
A Celtic cross, a large upright granite monument, was unveiled at the site on December 6, 1999 to pay tribute to the Irish Immigrants who have settled in Halifax since its founding in 1749. It was a gift to HRM from the local Irish community though a fund-raising initiative and a charitable trust established by the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax.
Mayor Kelly said "Descendants of the first Irish immigrants have become an important part of the cultural, social, political and economic fabric of our community. It is only fitting that this piece of land in the heart of the downtown Halifax be dedicated to those first Irish settlers."
Mr. Donahoe said " We are very pleased that Mayor Kelly and members of Halifax Regional Council have agreed with our request and that St. Patrick's Green is now a reality."
He paid tribute to Councillor Bob Harvey, a long-time member of the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax, a Past President and currently its historian, "who steered our submission for this name change through the approval process by Regional Council."
Mr. Donahoe also thanked District 12 Councillor Dawn Sloane, in whose district the St. Patrick's Green is located, for her cooperation and help with this project.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Terence Donahoe
President, Charitable Irish Society of Halifax
(902) 481-0212 or (902) 830-6029
