Symbolic Gardens

In May of 1939, the Irish Cultural Gardens were established on Martin Luther King Drive in Cleveland, Ohio. The dedication ceremony was filmed, showing attendees wandering through manicured flowerbeds, listening to speeches, and music by the local fife and drum corps. Stone pavers were arranged in a Celtic cross design on the walkways and plants native to Ireland decorate the gardens.

The early 1800s saw a large influx of Irish immigrants to the Cleveland area. By the turn of the century, tens of thousands of Irish had settled in the area. By this time they made up a relatively large percentage of the Cleveland immigrant population.  Like many others who made their way to the United States, the Irish established small communities within their new homes. The Irish mostly established themselves along the Cuyahoga River in an area called the Angle as well as Detroit Avenue. Many of the newcomers were employed to help build the Ohio Erie Canal, which was under construction in the early 1800s.

After the initial founding of the Irish Cultural Gardens, additional monuments and plants were added throughout the early 1900s. James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, and Edna O’Brien are among those who are commemorated by the monuments in the garden. Irish culture is still prominent in modern Cleveland culture, represented by extensive St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and widespread attendance at parades. 

Sources

“Irish Gardens” Cleveland Cultural Gardens. Accessed March 15, 2019. https://www.clevelandculturalgardens.org/gardens/irish-garden/

Cleveland Historical Team. “Irish Cultural Garden.” Cleveland Historical. Accessed March 15, 2019. https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/116

Video Link:

Irish Cultural Garden Dedication Film. MS5313. Western Reserve Historical Society. Cleveland, OH. Accessed March 15, 2019. https://wrhs.saas.dgicloud.com/islandora/object/wrhs%3A9001