KNOWN AS BROWN THOMAS BY STUDENTS
KNOWN AS BROWN THOMAS BY STUDENTS [LOCATED ON THE LIMERICK UNIVERSITY CAMPUS]
Usually I have great difficulty photographing this sculpture as the plaza is usually packed with students or visitors but weather was really bad and there were very few people around so I was able to experiment especially as I have a medium format camera - what I wanted to do was to show Brown Thomas as being totally isolated.
Limerick's "Other" Brown Thomas: A Visit to Gormley's UL Campus Sculpture
On the University of Limerick (UL) campus, spanning the River Shannon, stands a significant piece of public art by the renowned British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley. While its official title is "Untitled (for David)", students and locals know it by a far more humorous nickname: "Brown Thomas".
This witty moniker is a direct reference to the well-known chain of Irish luxury department stores. If you're in Limerick and a student mentions "meeting at Brown Thomas," they might not be heading for a shopping trip, but rather to this iconic campus landmark.
The Sculpture and its Setting
Installed on 21 February 2001 I was lead to believe that "the work consists of two identical cast-iron figures, characteristic of Gormley's exploration of the human form. Poetically, one figure stands on the County Limerick side of the campus, while the other faces it from the County Clare side, connecting the two parts of the university over the water".
I could never locate the second figure and only recently discovered that the description was totally false - someone was "pulling my leg", as we say here in Ireland.
1. "Together and Apart" by Antony Gormley
Description: It is a single, life-size, cast-iron figure of a man, standing with his arms by his sides.
Location: It stands in the centre of the main plaza, between the Glucksman Library and the Foundation Building.
Every time I am in Limerick, I make a point to visit the University Campus. On my most recent trip in July 2025, I enjoyed a long walk from the Absolute Hotel specifically to see the sculpture again.
However, my most memorable encounter with it was during my first proper exploration of the campus in July 2016. I was immediately impressed by the wealth of public art on display, but this piece was a particular favourite. That visit, however, soon took an unexpected turn.
A Surprising Discovery
After admiring the sculpture, I visited a nearby toilet facility and found a wallet. It was filled with ID cards, a bank card, and approximately €1,000 in cash.
I immediately brought it to the bank on campus, but to my surprise, they refused to accept the wallet or its contents, even though the owner was clearly their client. I eventually found a security guard who escorted me to the Students' Union. I handed the wallet over, but the staff there also appeared to be less than interested. To this day, I still wonder if it was ever returned to its owner.
About the Artist: Sir Antony Gormley
Sir Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA (born 30 August 1950) is a celebrated British sculptor whose work often explores the human body and its relationship to space. His most famous works are landmarks in their own right, including:
The Angel of the North: A monumental public sculpture in Gateshead, commissioned in 1994 and erected in February 1998.
Another Place: A collection of 100 cast-iron figures spread across three kilometres of Crosby Beach near Liverpool.
Event Horizon: A multi-part site installation that has been exhibited in major cities worldwide, including London (2007), New York (2010), and Hong Kong (2015–16).
Key Public Art at the University of Limerick
1. "Together and Apart" by Antony Gormley
Description: This is the sculpture known as "Brown Thomas". It is a single, life-size, cast-iron figure of a man, standing with his arms by his sides.
Location: It stands in the centre of the main plaza, between the Glucksman Library and the Foundation Building.
2. "Crann Saoilse" (Wall of Light) by Sean Scully
Description: This is one of the largest and most unmissable works on campus. It's not a statue but a monumental wall, over 30 metres long, made of stacked, chequered blocks of black Chinese basalt and white Portuguese limestone.
Location: It is located at the main entrance to the university.
3. "Geometric Forms" by Alexandra Wejchert
Description: A very large, striking sculpture made of polished stainless steel. It consists of six identical, semi-crescent (moon-shaped) elements all connected at a central point.
Location: It is located in the courtyard of the Robert Schuman Building.
4. "Resurgence" by James McKenna
Description: This is a very large, complex limestone monument. It features a group of eight figures arranged in three distinct sets, representing the "triumph of Irish education".
Location: It stands on the lawn in front of the Schrödinger Building (the main science and engineering building).
5. "Leaf Litany" by Tom Fitzgerald
Description: A beautiful bronze sculpture depicting a tree-like form made of large, overlapping leaves, which rises from a circular pool of water.
Location: It is situated in the garden area directly outside the Glucksman Library.
6. "Silver Pencils" by Peter Logan
Description: This is a kinetic (moving) sculpture. It consists of multiple, slender, silver poles (resembling pencils) that move and turn gracefully in the wind.
Location: It can be found on a grassy area near the Foundation Building.
7. "Salmon Fall" by Michael Warren
Description: A large, abstract sculpture made of wood (often corten steel is also mentioned, but the original is wood). It suggests the form of leaping salmon.
Location: It is located on the large lawn in front of the historic Plassey House.
8. "Sundial" by Ken Thompson
Description: A functional and artistic equatorial sundial. It's a large, metal piece, often with a distinctive gnomon (the part that casts the shadow) set within a ring.
Location: This is also located in the gardens near the Foundation Building and Glucksman Library.
Usually I have great difficulty photographing this sculpture as the plaza is usually packed with students or visitors but weather was really bad and there were very few people around so I was able to experiment especially as I have a medium format camera - what I wanted to do was to show Brown Thomas as being totally isolated.
Limerick's "Other" Brown Thomas: A Visit to Gormley's UL Campus Sculpture
On the University of Limerick (UL) campus, spanning the River Shannon, stands a significant piece of public art by the renowned British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley. While its official title is "Untitled (for David)", students and locals know it by a far more humorous nickname: "Brown Thomas".
This witty moniker is a direct reference to the well-known chain of Irish luxury department stores. If you're in Limerick and a student mentions "meeting at Brown Thomas," they might not be heading for a shopping trip, but rather to this iconic campus landmark.
The Sculpture and its Setting
Installed on 21 February 2001 I was lead to believe that "the work consists of two identical cast-iron figures, characteristic of Gormley's exploration of the human form. Poetically, one figure stands on the County Limerick side of the campus, while the other faces it from the County Clare side, connecting the two parts of the university over the water".
I could never locate the second figure and only recently discovered that the description was totally false - someone was "pulling my leg", as we say here in Ireland.
1. "Together and Apart" by Antony Gormley
Description: It is a single, life-size, cast-iron figure of a man, standing with his arms by his sides.
Location: It stands in the centre of the main plaza, between the Glucksman Library and the Foundation Building.
Every time I am in Limerick, I make a point to visit the University Campus. On my most recent trip in July 2025, I enjoyed a long walk from the Absolute Hotel specifically to see the sculpture again.
However, my most memorable encounter with it was during my first proper exploration of the campus in July 2016. I was immediately impressed by the wealth of public art on display, but this piece was a particular favourite. That visit, however, soon took an unexpected turn.
A Surprising Discovery
After admiring the sculpture, I visited a nearby toilet facility and found a wallet. It was filled with ID cards, a bank card, and approximately €1,000 in cash.
I immediately brought it to the bank on campus, but to my surprise, they refused to accept the wallet or its contents, even though the owner was clearly their client. I eventually found a security guard who escorted me to the Students' Union. I handed the wallet over, but the staff there also appeared to be less than interested. To this day, I still wonder if it was ever returned to its owner.
About the Artist: Sir Antony Gormley
Sir Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA (born 30 August 1950) is a celebrated British sculptor whose work often explores the human body and its relationship to space. His most famous works are landmarks in their own right, including:
The Angel of the North: A monumental public sculpture in Gateshead, commissioned in 1994 and erected in February 1998.
Another Place: A collection of 100 cast-iron figures spread across three kilometres of Crosby Beach near Liverpool.
Event Horizon: A multi-part site installation that has been exhibited in major cities worldwide, including London (2007), New York (2010), and Hong Kong (2015–16).
Key Public Art at the University of Limerick
1. "Together and Apart" by Antony Gormley
Description: This is the sculpture known as "Brown Thomas". It is a single, life-size, cast-iron figure of a man, standing with his arms by his sides.
Location: It stands in the centre of the main plaza, between the Glucksman Library and the Foundation Building.
2. "Crann Saoilse" (Wall of Light) by Sean Scully
Description: This is one of the largest and most unmissable works on campus. It's not a statue but a monumental wall, over 30 metres long, made of stacked, chequered blocks of black Chinese basalt and white Portuguese limestone.
Location: It is located at the main entrance to the university.
3. "Geometric Forms" by Alexandra Wejchert
Description: A very large, striking sculpture made of polished stainless steel. It consists of six identical, semi-crescent (moon-shaped) elements all connected at a central point.
Location: It is located in the courtyard of the Robert Schuman Building.
4. "Resurgence" by James McKenna
Description: This is a very large, complex limestone monument. It features a group of eight figures arranged in three distinct sets, representing the "triumph of Irish education".
Location: It stands on the lawn in front of the Schrödinger Building (the main science and engineering building).
5. "Leaf Litany" by Tom Fitzgerald
Description: A beautiful bronze sculpture depicting a tree-like form made of large, overlapping leaves, which rises from a circular pool of water.
Location: It is situated in the garden area directly outside the Glucksman Library.
6. "Silver Pencils" by Peter Logan
Description: This is a kinetic (moving) sculpture. It consists of multiple, slender, silver poles (resembling pencils) that move and turn gracefully in the wind.
Location: It can be found on a grassy area near the Foundation Building.
7. "Salmon Fall" by Michael Warren
Description: A large, abstract sculpture made of wood (often corten steel is also mentioned, but the original is wood). It suggests the form of leaping salmon.
Location: It is located on the large lawn in front of the historic Plassey House.
8. "Sundial" by Ken Thompson
Description: A functional and artistic equatorial sundial. It's a large, metal piece, often with a distinctive gnomon (the part that casts the shadow) set within a ring.
Location: This is also located in the gardens near the Foundation Building and Glucksman Library.