Dr. Spollen-LaRaia Remembers The Great Hunger

Paramus Public Schools’ own Dr. Deirdre Spollen-LaRaia, principal of West Brook Middle School, is also president of the Council of Irish Associations of Greater Bergen County. The organization’s mission is to promote the traditions of Ireland and Irish America in history, language, music, dance, theater, prose, sports, the arts, and industry. 

On May 18, 2024, the council gathered with Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Board of Commissioners to remember The Great Hunger, An Gorta Mor (also known as the Great Famine in Ireland). 

“Though a solemn day, recognizing that An Gorta Mor was a time of loss, suffering, and darkness for Ireland, it is also a time of reflection on the contributions of the Irish emigrants who crossed the seas and transformed the Irish diaspora across the United States,” Dr. Spollen-LaRaia explains. “While the famine took place over 175 years ago, the organization also recognizes that hunger and food insecurity is still relevant today, including in parts of Bergen County. We take this time to spread the word about the ongoing levels of hunger in our community and the importance of helping local pantries gain support from the surrounding communities.”