In collaboration with American sculptor Stephen Shaheen, McKeon Stone was involved in the construction of a memorial to a talented young Irish American man who was killed in a tragic accident.

Corey Griffin

At the age of 27, Corey Griffin of Boston, Massachusetts, had been involved in a number of philanthropic projects, including the famous Ice Bucket Challenge, which he co-founded to help research into Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, with which one of his close friends was living. Corey was a popular and successful young man, but after a fund-raising event in Nantucket in 2014 he died whilst diving into the sea from a wharf-side building. His family commissioned a stone memorial, to be carved by Stephen Shaheen with assistance from McKeon Stone.

McKeon Stone’s First US Assignment

This memorial is McKeon Stone’s first commission in the USA, and is particularly appropriate given that Corey Griffin’s family is of Irish descent.

Professional, Talented, Caring

The Griffin family were very pleased with the finished memorial, which incorporates a bench as well as a carved cross. A friend of the Griffins described the work as ‘exquisite’, and told our MD Niall Kavanagh:

“You were professional, talented, caring and a great source of support and encouragement to the hardworking, dedicated and talented Steve Shaheen. “

Stephen Shaheen

Stephen Shaheen is a New York City-based sculptor in stone who studied for a Master of Fine Arts qualification in Italy. He is probably best known for ‘Memoria’ his monument to the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks, which was carved from 100 tons of granite and marble. We at McKeon Stone feel very privileged to have worked with him, and to have been associated with this tribute to a well-loved young man.

Words from Steve Greeley New England Director, Vice President of Major Gifts

Thank you for your thoughtful and poignant email. The Griffins are very pleased. The monument is exquisite and inspiring and the Griffin family continues to be replenished by it. Quite a team joined in this effort, not the least of which were you and the McKeon Stone team. You were professional, talented, caring and a great source of support and encouragement to hardworking, dedicated and talented Steve Shaheen. We Boston Irish feel an almost unexplainable bond to Ireland and her people. As to the extended Griffin family , this bond has been further strengthened by the “McKeon team”, something that is very real. Our late and terribly-missed Corey would be very happy to know how and where this monument was created and, very proud , a comment I regularly hear from his immediate family, extended family and many friends. It is bringing many people to our small town and kept Corey’s unique flame burning. I hope the good people at McKeon get satisfaction from this.

On another note, people in the town, particularly from St. Mary’s parish, have come by to see the monument, many sitting on the bench and reflecting. While to any eye the monument is a beautiful piece of art, the peace it has brought to the wonderful Griffin family and their loving friends and reflections it stirs are and will be its biggest impact. Well done, Niall. You and your team have had a profound impact here and it will never be forgotten. Steve Shaheen, Rob Olson and the McKeon team were a gift…in my book, from God.

I promise to visit and hopefully some day with some of Corey’s family. I look forward to it.

Phone: +353 (0)57 862 5151 Email: info@mckeonstone.ie