Campaign to have orphanage fire victims remembered continues
The campaign to have the Cavan Orphanage Fire Victims memorialised is ongoing by the ‘Remember the Cavan Orphanage Victims’ group.
While no plans have been finalised, a plaque on the former Poor Clare’s Convent building or a sculpture-type monument somewhere in the town are among the options in discussion by the group.
They are currently embarking upon a project with PEACEPLUS, which should see funding come their way.
While the event is of massive historical significance to Cavan Town, the only monument to memorialise the 35 girls and one woman who died in the St Joseph’s Orphanage on February 24, 1943, is the grave at Cullies Cemetery.
The fire broke out The building is now up for sale with a €2.5M guide price.
According to memorial group founder, Sean Galligan, they had been “in discussion” with the previous building owners about erecting a plaque to memorialise the girls. However they now “have to wait” to see how the sale goes.
“Hopefully, whoever the new owners are, we'll be able to discuss with them.”
Regarding the memorial they wish to construct, they must still agree a site.
“That hasn't been done yet, we'll need to agree a site with Cavan County Council in the town,” he said, suggesting a “large plaque” along the street or a sculpture at “some other site”.
“Ideally it'd be great if we could get something there on the street beside the gates but, if that's not feasible, we'll have to look at something else,” the Drumkilly man said.
Another idea is to have some sort of memorial at the Abbeylands Development when it is finally constructed. There are six committee members, with about around 20 members total attending their meetings, each pushing for the monument to be constructed. The current group has been campaigning for the past four years, however there have been previous campaigns in the past.
“This has been going on a long time,” he said.
Asked why he and the rest of the committee think it's important to have a memorial in Cavan, Sean said: “It's the girls we're doing it for, them and their families. We have some relatives on the committee. We had 36 people burned and most if them were children and there's no public memorial. I don't think it's proper.”
Sean believes, if the fire happened at a different location, which wasn't an orphanage, he is “sure” there would be a memorial.
“I think it's just because of the background of the victims [orphans] that it is taking so long.
“I know there is a memorial out at the cemetery but I think there should be one in the town, a public memorial.”
He predicts it could be another two or three years before Cavan sees their memory honoured in the town, but stresses that work to secure funding is ongoing.