West Donegal to honour man who saved 200,000 children during Great Famine - Donegal Daily

A Polish explorer that saved the lives of over 7,000 children in Glenties will have a special plaque erected in his memory next month.

A special plaque will be unveiled in West Donegal in memory of a man who saved over 200,000 children during the Great Famine.

Paul Edmund Strzelecki is credited with saving the lives of 7,000 children alone in Glenties, and that's where a special plaque dedicated to him will be erected on Monday, October 5th.

Strzelecki was a Polish explorer and a humanitarian, who during the Great Irish Famine, from 1847–48, worked in distributing famine-relief funds in Ireland.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography says his work was highly regarded and that some of the principles he developed for relief subsequently became standard practice.

Many historians have said that he saved the lives of over 200,000 children across Ireland, and was directly responsible for saving around 7,000 in Glenties.

The unveiling of the plaque will take place at 11am on Monday, October 5th, and those in attendance at the memorial include Charlie McConalogue, Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Cllr. Anthony Molloy, Cathaoirleach of Glenties Municipal District, John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council.

In addition to the above, Mr Jonathan Conlon, Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Poland and Mr Artur Michalski, Chargé d’affaires of the Republic of Poland to Ireland will also be present at the event.

Pupils from St Columba’s Comprehensive School in Glenties will also participate in the unveiling, and the plaque will be erected opposite the school.

The plaque will be a symbol that represents the lasting mark of the friendship between Poland and Ireland, celebrating the pairing between Poland and Co. Donegal for the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.