The Crocus Project launched by former President of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese
Last Monday, Holocaust Education Ireland launched The Crocus Project 2022/23 with former President of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese.
The yellow flowers planted on the grounds of Dr McAleese’s home recall the one and a half million children who perished in the Holocaust. The event was attended by Holocaust Survivors, Suzi Diamond and Tomi Reichental along with third-generation survivor, Kayla Hertz.
Mr Reichental said it meant a lot to him to be there. “We must never forget the children who were murdered in Auschwitz and other places, to remind the people that this did happen so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes.”
Ms Diamond urged the children “to speak out about hate speech, about bullying and about Holocaust denial”.
Dr McAleese told the children that she was just back from a trip to Rome where, 79 years ago “in the living memories of your grannies and grandas”, buses came on a glorious sunny day and took away more than 300 children and 700 adults “to a place called Auschwitz”. She told the pupils that these children were “murdered, for no reason except that they were Jewish — beautiful, beautiful little children just like you who never came home”.
The Crocus Project is a brilliant initiative, with over 500 schools planting bulbs this month across the island of Ireland!
Thank you to the students of St Michael’s Cootehall, Woodbrook N.S and Carrick on Shannon C.S for participating in the event.
A special thanks to the wonderful music provided by Carrick on Shannon C.S:
Sí Béag Sí Mór performed by Kate Coll, Ellie Butler, Tess Kane, Ellie Conway Russell, Mairéad Lowe and Catherine Cullen
Fernando performed by Grace Collins, Maria Fallon and James O’Neill
Sing a Song of Joy performed by Chloe McGuinness, Fionn Regan, Cuileann O’Donaile, James O’Neill, Grace Collins, Maria Fallon, Tess Kane, Fionn Regan and Kate Coll.
#crocusproject is co-funded by the Department of Education and the European Union.
Photographs: Marc O’Sullivan
