At the Holly Cross Dinner, l to r: Bridget Brownlow of Saint Mary's University, Sailí Ní Dhroighneáin who sang the Irish and the Canadian national anthems before dinner and An Cumann's long serving Secretary, Chief Judge, Pat Curran.

At the Holly Cross Dinner, l to r: Bridget Brownlow of Saint Mary’s University, Sailí Ní Dhroighneáin who sang the Irish and the Canadian national anthems before dinner and An Cumann’s long serving Secretary, Chief Judge, Pat Curran.

The Ambassador’s Visit To Halifax

Irish Ambassador and among the events he attended while in Halifax was the Holly Cross Cemetery Trust Annual Fundraising Dinner this past May 19th, where he was the keynote speaker. The fund raiser was for the historic cemetery in Halifax’s south end. Many Irish immigrants who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia prior to Canada’s Confederation and many of their descendants are buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Holy Cross also is known for the “Chapel Built in a Day” raised by nearly 2000 volunteers on August 31, 1843. To local knowledge, it is the only chapel in Canada that was built in a day. The Cemetery is also the final resting place of the fourth Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John Sparrow David Thompson, prime minister of Canada from 1892-1894. Holy Cross Cemetery is also the final resting place for many decorated Halifax war heroes who bravely fought in various military campaigns and world wars since the mid-1850’s, including one Halifax native who was awarded the United States Medal of Honor.

The Holy Cross Cemetery Trust is an initiative of  members of The Charitable Irish Society of Halifax and An Cumann, The Irish Association of Nova Scotia. The purpose of the Trust is to raise funds to work with the Catholic Cemeteries Commission to restore and preserve this important historical and cultural site. So far volunteers have restored more than 1300 stones that had either fallen into disrepair or were vandalized in this historic cemetery.

The Trust has Registered Charitable Status with the Canada Revenue Agency. More info at: http://www.holycrosscemeteryhalifax.ca