Garden honours terrorism victims
The new commemorative garden in Cork’s Fitzgerald’s Park, which will be officially opened tomorrow, remembers the victims of 9/11, Beslan, the Madrid and Bali bombings as well as tragedies in the Sudan, Liberia and the Middle East.
It was designed and planted by 17 transition year students of Coláiste Dáibhéid on South Terrace, as part of the Young Social Innovators competition.
The competition was devised by campaigner Sr Stanislaus Kennedy to encourage young people to undertake social projects.
The students said they wanted to create something permanent given Cork’s status as European Capital of Culture.
“The garden is symbolic in nature,” said deputy principal Mairéad Ní Chorcoráin. “It contains a water feature symbolic of healing and cleansing, coloured stones symbolic of all creeds and colours, flowers symbolic of new growth and continuity, and a garden seat where people can sit for quiet reflection,” she said.
The students raised money for the project themselves. The project was also supported by Cork City Council, its park staff and a number of local companies. Transition year students will maintain the garden.
