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Transcript: Welcome to Ireland Park from Robert G. Kearns, Chair and Founder of Ireland Park Foundation.

Exterior shot. Camera pans left across a park with sculptural figures to right of a grain silo, with trees with no leaves and a limestone sculptural wall visible in the background, and water to right of the background.

Voice over of a man speaking 

Ireland Park is a memorial in Toronto to commemorate and to celebrate the story of the arrival of Irish Famine migrants on the waterfront of this city in the summer of 1847. 

Shot dissolves into a new shot with camera panning down over engraved names on the surface of a monument.

Some 38,500 arrived when the population of the city was a mere 20,000.

Shot dissolves. Camera pans right and upwards showing limestone pillars in sculptural wall.

The park consists of fourteen limestone columns forming the western boundary, 

Shot dissolves. Camera pans down from top of glass beacon against blue sky

a glass beacon of hope for future generations, 

Shot dissolves. Camera pans right across park and sculptural figures in night scene with grey grain silo and lit up buildings in background

and five bronze sculptures by Irish sculptor Rowan Gillespie. The park was designed by Jonathan Kearns of Kearns Mancini Architects.

Shot dissolves. New shot close up of pregnant woman sculptural figure viewing her stomach, with limestone sculptural wall background right and fence and water background left. Camera pans up to show her anguished face.

The sculpture depicts a pregnant woman who survived the 55-60 day crossing of the Atlantic. 

Shot dissolves. New shot with camera panning up of emaciated male sculptural figure, focusing on his face. 

Behind her is an orphan child who may have lost his family, who is apprehensive about whether to go forward or to go back. 

Shot dissolves. New shot from above and rotating around a sprawling female sculptural figure lying on the ground.

Lying on the ground is a woman in that transition from life to death, reflecting the mortality associated with famine. 

Shot dissolves. New shot with camera panning to the right showing emaciated hunched over male sculptural figure against backdrop of grain silo to the right and limestone sculptural wall in background. Camera moves towards close up of his face.

The man to the left is the figure of Pius Mulvey from Joseph O’Connor’s book The Star of the Sea. 

Shot dissolves. New shot of chest and face of male sculptural figure with both of his arms raised, viewed from below, with grain silo in background. Camera pans up to show his extended hands

The figure in the left, or the right foreground, depicts a man in jubilant manner looking at the future of a city that he will help contribute to, 

Shot dissolves. New shot of camera panning right across frozen harbour with boats and high rises of city skyline as well as CN Tower in right background.

and of a country that he will help build.


Shot dissolves. New shot of sculptural figure of man with upraised arms and figure of pregnant woman to his left, with frozen water, limestone sculptural wall, and grain silo visible in background. Camera pans right.

Collectively, the group is made up of five individuals who have survived the Atlantic crossing, and who have survived typhus, and are going on to contribute to Canada and to build this great nation.

Final shot of Ireland Park Foundation logo and water. Celtic music playing.

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