A new tour of the historic Saint Mary's Cemetery will be offered by the Museum of Newport Irish History as part of the 48th Annual Newport Irish Heritage Month.
Join local researcher and guide, Steve Marino, on March 29th at 1:00 PM, as he walks the group through a 45-minute outdoor tour of St. Mary's Cemetery (weather permitting). Light rain won’t stop the tour, but heavy downfalls, snow, or high winds will result in cancellation.
Explore the final resting place of well over 1,000 Newporters of the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, including countless immigrants from Ireland and first-generation Irish Americans. This cemetery was established to serve R.I.'s first Catholic parish (est. 1828), which, in 1848-1852 constructed a new church in which to house its growing congregation, fueled by immigration from Ireland. That church, dedicated in 1852 to "The Holy Name of Mary, Our Lady of the Isle," stands today at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard West. The St. Mary's Cemetery was in operation soon after the church was completed.
Meet at the gate on Kingston Ave. near the intersection with Warner Street, shown in this photo.
Wear flat, comfortable shoes. The ground can be moist and uneven in spots.
No fee, but reservations are required.
A tour of the circa 1828 Barney Street Cemetery, which was the original cemetery established to serve the parish when it was established in 1828, is also offered on Saturday, March 22 at 1:00 PM.
For details and reservations for both cemetery tours visit the event Web Page.
About the Museum
The Museum of Newport Irish History, a volunteer-driven, non-profit 501c3 organization, was founded in 1996 and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating an Interpretive Center on Lower Thames Street, the organization sponsors numerous educational, cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including its popular annual lecture series, now in its 23rd season. The organization also restored and maintains the historic Barney Street Cemetery at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest Irish residents and was the cemetery established to support Rhode Island’s first Roman Catholic parish, the forerunner of the current Saint Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard.
To learn more or to join the Museum, please visit www.NewportIrishHistory.org or write us at newportirishhistory@gmail.com
