With representatives of the Irish Consulate of San Francisco expected to be in attendance, the annual gathering to remember victims of the ‘Great Irish Hunger’ will be hosted on Saturday morning, May 17.

Organized by the local members of the Irish American Unity Conference, the event will be staged at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Eugene, about five miles north of Woodward Reservoir.

The gathering and brief ceremony are open to the public; all are welcome with attendees encouraged to assemble about 9:30 a.m., and the ceremony itself set for a 10 a.m. start.

Jim Brennan serves as host for the event and Elizabeth Creeley of the Irish Consulate’s office is scheduled to serve as keynote speaker.

This will be the ninth year of the observance, paying homage not only to those lost in the Irish famine but also those that came to this country at that time in search of a better life; many of whom settled in the Central Valley area.

Spokesperson for the local group, George Trainor, reiterated that all are welcome to attend and honor the memory of the victims of the Irish famine.