Marianna O'Gallagher

[4][5][note 2] Her thesis was about Quebec City's St. Patrick's Church,[2][5] and her interest in Irish-Quebecer history would continue for her whole life.

[1][4] In 1973, O'Gallagher was allowed by the federal government (who had owned it since the establishment of the quarantine station) to visit Grosse Isle, which she found in a state of disrepair.

O'Gallagher spent the rest of her life writing books and articles on Irish-Canadian history, for which she became a major figure in the Canadian Irish studies community.

[14] She was repeatedly included in Irish America's Global 100 lists,[9][15] and was a member of the organizing committee for Quebec City's 2008 400th anniversary celebrations.

A few months earlier, she had been Grand Marshal to Quebec City's first Saint Patrick's Days parade in 80 years,[1][17] and she was at the time amongst the people featured in the exposition Being Irish O'Quebec at Montreal's McCord Museum.

On the cross designed by her grandfather, O'Gallagher commented: "He drew the design on the wall of the kitchen at 13 Conroy St. in Quebec City. My father said as more and more money came in, the monument grew in size and stature on the wall." [ 1 ] [ note 1 ]