A new tapestry unveiled in Seoul honors seven Irish missionaries of the St. Columban Society who lost their lives during the Korean War.
Newsroom (18/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a moving ceremony held at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul on March 12, Catholic Church officials and dignitaries gathered to unveil “Woven into Memory,” an original tapestry artwork commemorating seven missionaries of the St. Columban Foreign Mission Society who were martyred during the Korean War.
The unveiling marked a poignant tribute to those who sacrificed their lives amid one of the 20th century’s deadliest conflicts. Donated permanently to the War Memorial, the tapestry now hangs in the Warrior Lounge, open to the public for free viewing. Its intricate design represents not only the sorrow and suffering of war but also the missionaries’ enduring faith and humanity.
Among the notable attendees were Sean Canney, Ireland’s Secretary of State for Transport, who was visiting South Korea; Michelle Winthrop, the Irish Ambassador to Korea; Jacqueline Nie Craven de Towi, a descendant of one of the martyrs and a donor of the artwork; and members of the St. Columban Foreign Mission Society.
Sean Canney, who hails from Headford, County Galway—the hometown of Father Francis Canavan, one of the honored missionaries and a Servant of God—spoke with heartfelt emotion. “The tapestry expresses the war and the sacrifices of missionaries in a very unique way,” he said. “I am especially pleased that it will be exhibited at the War Memorial.”
The Woven into Memory project serves as both an homage and a historical reminder of the seven Irish Columbans who gave their lives while ministering during the chaos of the Korean War (1950–1953). The war, sparked by the North Korean invasion of the South, left an estimated three million dead and displaced more than ten million people.
Before the ceremony, participants gathered in solemn reflection at the Monument to Irish Victims of the Korean War, located in the Patriotic Park outside the memorial hall. A moment of silence honored the fallen, followed by a reading by Father Daniel Ogi-baek of the mission society. Quoting Irish poet and priest Father John O’Donnahue, he recited, “The sheep and the wolf play together, and our swords become plowshares; may there be no harm done to our sacred earth from now on.”
In recognition of the donation, Yang Dong-hak, acting chairman of the War Memorial Society, presented certificates of appreciation to Jacqueline Nie Craven de Towi and representatives of the mission society.
The tapestry had completed an extensive tour of Ireland before its arrival in Korea in December 2025. Six copies were presented to various institutions including the Korean branch of the Columbans, Sanjeong-dong Parish in Mokpo, the Gwangju Archdiocese, the Gwangju Catholic Museum, and the Embassy of Ireland in Korea.
Members of the St. Columban Foreign Mission Society expressed their hope that the tapestry will preserve the legacy of those who gave their lives for faith and peace. “We hope that the stories of the missionaries’ martyrdom and the proclamation of the Gospel contained within the work will continue to be conveyed and remembered by everyone who visits the tapestry,” the society said in a statement.
Through this artistic tribute, the memory of seven Irish missionaries who once served in Korea now remains interwoven into the fabric of both nations’ shared history—a testament not only to sacrifice but to the powerful bond between faith, art, and remembrance.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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