Monument should be erected in Shandon to Annie Moore

FIANNA Fáil councillor Kenneth O’Flynn has placed a motion before Cork City Council asking that a monument be erected in Shandon to Annie Moore, who left her home in Rowland’s Lane Shandon for New York in 1892.

Annie Moore gained great fame as the first immigrant to pass through the Ellis Island facility in New York.

Cllr O’Flynn said, “While there is a plaque mentioning she lived in Rowland’s Lane, I feel that a suitable monument should be erected as it would be fitting to a person who is held in very high stead amongst Americans, who themselves went to great trouble to locate her grave in 2006 and in 2008, a dedication ceremony was held at which a marker for her grave, a Celtic Cross made of Irish Blue Limestone was unveiled.

“Annie Moore is just as important to Irish-America as JFK, The Irish American Cultural Institute presents an annual Annie Moore Award to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Irish and/or Irish American community and legacy.

“As well as this tribute a statue of Annie Moore exists in Ellis Island looking across the Atlantic Ocean, back to Ireland where she left from Cobh, the town which hosts a statue of her and her two brothers embarking on their journey to the New World.” O’Flynn said, “It is now time that something equally as prevalent as the monuments in Cobh and New York be erected to Annie Moore in Shandon.

“Not only would this be a great addition to the Annie Moore legacy it would further show the important role that Shandon has to play as Cork City’s premier tourist destination.”