The memorial was erected in honor of early citizens who, in the opinion of local residents, were brave sons of Ireland who stood up to City Hall and won the battle of the "Green over Red" traffic light.

[1] When the city first installed traffic signals in 1925, they placed one at a major intersection on Tipperary Hill, in the center of the neighborhood business district, located on the corner of Tompkins Street and Milton Avenue.

[3] The Stone Throwers were several youths from the neighborhood who were among some of the original residents who rallied against the addition of the new traffic light on Tipperary Hill because it sported the British "red" prominently placed over the Irish "green".

Due to strong national rivalries, the traditional "red-over-green" lights were interpreted as symbols of England over Ireland and offended the youths of the close-knit Irish neighborhood.

[4] Patrick "Packy" Corbett (born 1909), former Onondaga County Sheriff,[5] was named honorary member of the group after growing up on Tipp Hill, however, would not acknowledge vandalizing the traffic light.