Our annual Irish Gala takes place at the Capital Grille and The Celtic on Market in downtown Denver. The event is a fundraiser to support the efforts of Irish Network Colorado (INCO) to erect a memorial in Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville honoring the thousands of Irish immigrants who died there unknown in the late 19th century.
The format for the Gala is the following:
- 2pm – Cocktails and Memorial presentation at The Celtic on Market
- 3pm – Champagne at the Capital Grille
- 4-7pm – Dinner at the Capital Grille
- Return to The Celtic on Market for music and dancing
The Catholic-Free section of the cemetery has approximately 1300 unmarked and sunken graves dating from the late 1800’s, most belonging to Irish immigrants, many of whom were miners and who died as a result of their terrible working and living conditions. The proposed memorial will tell the history of this Irish community and also memorialize those buried there, placing their lives into a larger context that represents the story of Irish immigrants throughout the Rocky Mountain mining region in the 19th century.
The Capital Grille and the pedestrianized Larimer Square will create the perfect backdrop for the 2021 black-tie event celebrating Irish success and suffering in Colorado.