Irish Echo publisher and Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters of Quinnipiac University, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, has called on the Connecticut college's new President to reopen the abandoned Museum of Ireland's Great Hunger.
"As a very proud Honorary Grad of Quinnipiac University, I have written today to the new college President Marie Hardin to respectfully ask that she reopen the Museum of Ireland's Great Hunger/Músaem an Ghorta Mhóir," Ó Muilleoir wrote on Linkedin.
"The closure of the museum," he added, "was the biggest backward step for Irish America over the past decade and caused great distress among all Quinnipiac grads of Irish heritage — and, indeed, baffled all friends of the Connecticut university who believe fighting famine is an obligation of the Irish."
The Class of 2017 grad branded the shutdown of the internationally acclaimed museum "a shameful chapter for Quinnipiac and disaster for the unique collection of Great Hunger-related artworks that had been carefully gathered together by former college President John Lahey."
He added: "As predicted by campaigners at the time, the collection is now gathering dust, only rarely are works from the collection seen and efforts to rebirth the museum nearby have, despite valiant efforts and due to lack of funds, foundered. Kudos to the students of Quinnipiac who have organised a petition to oppose the shuttering of the museum in 2020 and to appeal for its reopening.
"I have no doubt but that all of the Irish in America, indeed all the Irish of the world, would laud and row in behind President Hardin with their time, talent and treasure were she to reopen this jewel in the Irish crown. The museum building has lain idle since the disastrous Quinnipiac decision to pull down the shutters. Now is the the time to reverse course."
Quinnipiac University has been contacted by the Irish Echo for a response.
