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Irish MonumentPrint Page 
The monument commemorates the Irish settlers, priest and nuns, and the Irish who worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It was unveiled in 1999 during the 50th anniversary of the commencement of the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
One of the earliest settlers in Cooma (1830s) was an Irish convict (one of those who unwillingly came to Australia) called James Kirwan. Kirwan was a hawker, innkeeper (Kirwan Inn) and substantial landholder and farmer in Cooma before he died in 1852.
One of the Irish nuns was the Reverend Mother Mary John Syrian (from Limerick) of the Brigidine Order who established the Convent/ school across the road from St Patrick’s Church. The Right Reverend Ryan, originally from Tipperary served as parish priest in Cooma from 1936 to 1967.
Many Irish people, finding it difficult to get employment in the post war gloom in Europe, joined migrants from 27 other countries and arrived in Cooma to work on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme – the biggest hydro-electric scheme the world had ever seen – between 1959 and 1974. Of the 121 workers who died while the Scheme was constructed fifteen were Irish.
Location
| Address: | 46 Murray Street, St Patrick`s Catholic Church, Cooma, 2630 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.238383 Long: 149.126069 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Settlement |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 17th October, 1999 |
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To the memory of the Irish who died during and since the construction of the Snowy Scheme
The early Irish settlers, many who came unwillingly, some to settle and prosper on the Monaro and Kiandra Gold Fields
The Irish Nuns and Priests who dedicated their lives to serving the people
We honour and remember them all
Dedicated during the 50th anniversary celebration of the commencement of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, Oct 17th 1999 by H. E. Mr. Richard A. O'Brien Ambassador of Ireland to Australia
