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THE TREE OF GOLD IS STILL ON DAME STREET -SCULPTURE BY ÉAMMON O’DOHERTY

March 15, 2025 by infomatique

PHOTOGRAPH MARCH 2025

Éamonn O’Doherty’s striking sculpture, officially titled “Crann an Óir” (meaning “Tree of Gold”), remains a prominent feature on Dame Street, Dublin, despite earlier plans for its relocation. Often colloquially referred to as the ‘Money Tree’, this artwork, with its distinctive golden orb, was commissioned by the Central Bank and selected following a competition in 1991.

In early 2016, the Central Bank announced intentions to move the iconic sculpture to its new headquarters on North Wall Quay, with a proposed budget of €500,000 for the relocation. However, the “Tree of Gold” continues to grace Dame Street, maintaining its presence as a recognisable city landmark.

Éamonn O’Doherty (1939–2011), a versatile artist born in Derry, Northern Ireland, was renowned for his public sculptures. His artistic repertoire extended beyond sculpture to encompass painting, printmaking, photography, and lecturing. He was a significant figure in Irish contemporary art, leaving a legacy of impactful public installations.

Among his notable works are the Quincentennial Sculpture in Eyre Square, Galway, which I intend to photograph later in the year, and the Anna Livia monument, which was relocated to Croppy Acre Memorial Park, Dublin, in 2011. O’Doherty’s artistic achievements also include accolades for his paintings, notably through the Irish Exhibition of Living Art. Furthermore, a touring exhibition of his photographs, drawn from the Irish Traditional Music Archive collection, showcased his photographic work across the United States. He died in Dublin at the age of 72.”

ONCE AGAIN I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED THIS MEMORIAL TO VERONICA GUERIN

March 11, 2025 by infomatique

DUBLIN CASTLE 11 MARCH 2025

The memorial sculpture dedicated to Veronica Guerin, located within the Dublin Castle Gardens, serves as a poignant reminder of her courageous work and tragic death.

Significance:

Veronica Guerin was an Irish investigative journalist who was murdered in 1996 for her reporting on organised crime. The memorial honours her dedication to exposing criminal activity.

The memorial therefore stands as a symbol of press freedom and the risks journalists take to uncover the truth.

It also serves as a location to remember the dangers of organised crime.

Location and Context:

The Dublin Castle Gardens provide a dignified and reflective setting for the memorial.

It is within an area that also contains other memorial gardens, including one dedicated to Gardaí killed in the line of duty, which places her sacrifice within the context of those who serve the public.

The location within Dublin castle gardens, makes it a very public place, and a place that is visited by many people.

Symbolism:

The memorial acts as a permanent reminder of the cost of pursuing justice.
The phrase inscribed on the memorial “Be not afraid” is a very powerful message.

Recent events:

Recent visits by political figures such as Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, shows the continuing importance of the memorial, and the subject of violence against women.

STALLION SCULPTURE AT THE CLAYTON HOTEL IN BALLSBRIDGE

October 18, 2024 by infomatique

FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2024

Within the grounds of the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge (formerly the Masonic Female Orphan School of Ireland and later, Thomas Prior House under the ownership of the Royal Dublin Society), stands a striking stone sculpture of a stallion. This imposing artwork likely dates from the period when the site was owned by the RDS, perhaps commissioned as a nod to the iconic Dublin Horse Show held annually in the adjacent showgrounds.

The Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge, is a sophisticated four-star hotel with a rich history. In the 1880s, the building served a very different purpose, housing the Masonic Girls’ School. Designed in the Queen Anne style by the renowned architectural firm of John McCurdy and William Mansfield Mitchell, the school was officially opened in 1881.

McCurdy and Mitchell were responsible for a number of significant buildings in Dublin and beyond, including:

The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin
Several buildings in Trinity College Dublin, such as the Anatomical Museum, the School of Physiology, and the Chemistry Building
Parts of Saint Columba’s College, Rathfarnham
Lowther Lodge, north of Ballsbridge
The Masonic Girls’ School, built at a cost of almost £15,000, occupied a spacious 10-acre site. The building featured a distinctive corner tower which housed the water supply mechanism, and incorporated schoolrooms, a library, dormitories, recreation areas, and dining halls arranged around a quadrangle.

The adjacent drill hall, now known as Thomas Prior Hall, was used for assemblies, prayers, and meetings. This impressive hall retains many of its original features, including the ornate oak-panelled walls, stained glass windows, mosaic tiling, choir balcony, and vaulted wooden ceiling.

The school closed its doors in 1970. The Royal Dublin Society subsequently purchased the building, renaming it Thomas Prior House in honour of one of their founding members. In the 1980s, the property was sold and redeveloped as a hotel.

In 2015, the hotel became part of the Dalata Hotel Group and was rebranded as the Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge, undergoing an upgrade from a three-star to a four-star establishment. Thomas Prior Hall was also renovated in 2016, sensitively modernised while preserving its historic character.

OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE CHARIOT OF LIFE

March 27, 2024 by infomatique

ITS NICKNAME IS THE MAD MILKMAN

The sculpture is officially known as the Chariot of Life, but it’s often colloquially referred to as The Mad Milkman.

The Chariot of Life was created by Oisín Kelly, an Irish artist born as Austin Kelly in Dublin in 1915. He worked as a teacher until he became artist in residence at the Kilkenny Design Centre in 1966. He initially attended night class at the National College of Art and studied under Henry Moore from 1948–1949. Kelly became well known after he was commissioned to do a sculpture, The Children of Lir (1964), for Parnell Square’s Garden of Remembrance.

The sculpture is located at the Irish Life Centre plaza, on Dublin’s Lower Abbey Street.

The Chariot of Life statue was commissioned by financier Michael Lucey who was responsible for the development of Irish Life Centre. The first phase of the development was completed in 1977, with the entire project finally realised in 1985. The Chariot of Life was unveiled on 7th July 1982 by Dr Niall Crowley, then Chairman of Irish Life Assurance. Kelly died the year before, in 1981.

The sculpture depicts the figure of a charioteer said to represent reason controlling the emotions. It was unveiled in 1982, the year following the sculptor’s death. This is Kelly’s largest work.

LOST WITHOUT TRACE THEN FOUND IN A DAMAGED CONDITION

March 20, 2024 by infomatique

TRACE IS A SCULPTURE BY GRACE WEIR

This is a very old photograph dating from 6 August 2006. Unfortunately I do not know what camera was used but I suspect that it was a Canon IXUS [known as a Powershot in the USA].

From about 1988 until 2013 this large sculpture by sculptor Grace Weir stood across the street from St Stephen’s Green, near Merrion Row. I thought that the sculpture was “Portals” but I recently discovered that it was “Trace”.

Unfortunately this sculpture had to be removed to make room for traffic that had to be diverted because of the extension of the LUAS green line. It is now in storage but when it was “discovered” in 2017 four of the Portland-stone blocks were missing.

Trace had been commissioned in 1988 as part of Dublin’s millennium celebrations. It was made from limestone and Portland stone, with the latter taken from the Custom House and donated to the artist when the building was undergoing restoration works in the late 1980s.

Grace Weir studied at the National College of Art and Design and also at Trinity College Dublin, where she won an award for her Masters in Multi-Media graduation project. She co-represented Ireland at the 49th International Venice Biennale in 2001 with her video installation ‘around now’.

Grace Weir collaborated with an astrophysicist exploring aspects of Einstein’s relativity and was commissioned by Cornerhouse in Manchester UK to make two film works ‘Dust defying gravity’ and ‘Bending spacetime in the basement’ in regard to this. They were premiered at her solo show titled ‘a fine line’ at Cornerhouse, Manchester UK in September 2003. In May 2005 she was elected a member of Aosdána. Her work is held in many collections including that of the Irish Museum of Modern Art.