SCULPTURE IN CONTEXT 2023 PLUS

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DEMOLITION DAVE’S MEMORIAL AT THE SMITHFIELD TRAM STOP

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A FREQUENTLY UNNOTICED TRIBUTE

Amidst the bustling crowds at Smithfield Luas stop, an unassuming memorial stands as a silent homage to a remarkable man whose legacy often escapes the hurried gaze of passersby.

Dave Conway, a father of two, met an untimely end at the tender age of 38, victim to a tragic motorbike accident. His indelible mark, however, remains etched in Dublin’s urban fabric.

As a Demolition Manager, Dave played a pivotal role in shaping the LUAS construction project — an endeavour that now crisscrosses our city. His dedication and expertise left an indelible imprint on the very tracks we traverse daily.

For nearly a year, I delved into the mystery surrounding the sculpture adjacent to the tram stop. It remained an enigma until a serendipitous moment revealed its creator: James Gannon. This gifted artist, working with stone and bronze from his Dublin and Roscommon studios, breathed life into the unassuming structure.
The Bench That Speaks: Some dismiss it as such. But look closer. Trace the tramlines etched into its form—the subtle nod to the very tracks Dave once navigated. Curious, I engaged fellow Dubliners in conversation. Not one had noticed its deeper significance until I pointed out those embedded rails.

Gannon’s career highlights include:

Gold Medal, Irish Landscape Exhibit (EXPO ’91 Osaka, Japan): This prestigious award in 1991 was in recognition of his outstanding granite sculptures.

Public Commissions: He’s created numerous public sculptures, such as those decorating the façade of Dublin’s historic Fruit and Fish Market Buildings, and a large granite piece dedicated to the Travelling Community at Parslickstown.

Representation of Ireland: In 2001, Gannon represented Ireland at the Symposium du Granit des Marches de Bretagne in France.

His work often explores themes of heritage, growth, and the interplay between natural and human-made forms. One notable piece, “Hybrid Vigour”, was inspired by his grandfather and the agricultural concept of cross-breeding to achieve greater strength.

PRESENTED TO CITY AND PEOPLE OF DUBLIN BY ZENEZA

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PATRICK KAVANAGH SCULPTURE

I never noticed the associated plaque before. It states that this sculpture was presented to the people of Dublin by Zeneza and that surprised as I was unaware of that entity. I will discuss this in more detail below.

When I was young I went to school on Leeson street and we were not allowed to visit Wilton Terrace after 5PM as it was a very busy red light area at night. In a way it was surreal … during the day the area was home to upmarket offices but at night it was populated by streetwalkers and their clients.

This life sized statue of Patrick Kavanagh sitting on one side of a park bench is by John Coll and it was unveiled in June 1991. It is situated on the north bank of the Grand Canal across from Mespil Road.

Previously, I incorrectly [a typo] described it as being on Mespil Road when it is, in fact, at Wilton Terrace. I have recently noticed that a number of other accounts describe it as being on Mespil Road … I hope that I am not responsible for such errors.

Patrick Kavanagh (21 October 1904 – 30 November 1967) was an Irish poet and novelist. His best-known works include the novel Tarry Flynn, and the poems “On Raglan Road” and “The Great Hunger”. He is known for his accounts of Irish life through reference to the everyday and commonplace. He also played as a goalkeeper for his local Gaelic football club.

John Coll is one of Ireland’s most prominent figurative sculptors. He has sculpted many works of national importance including monuments to the poet Patrick Kavanagh and the writer Brendan Behan on the Dublin canals. Other large-scale projects include a monument to Countess Markievicz in Rathcormac, Co Sligo and locally a life-size portrait of the racehorse “Bobby-Jo” in Mountbellew, Co Galway.

Zeneca (officially Zeneca Group PLC) was a British multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It was formed in June 1993 by the demerger of the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals businesses of Imperial Chemical Industries into a separate company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

In 1999, Zeneca and the Sweden-based pharmaceutical company Astra AB merged to form AstraZeneca plc.

Zeneca’s largest therapeutic area was oncology, in which its key products included Casodex, Nolvadex and Zoladex. Other key products included heart drug Tenormin.

“Zeneca” was an invented name created by the branding consultancy Interbrand. Interbrand had been instructed to find a name which began with a letter from either the top or bottom of the alphabet and was phonetically memorable, of no more than three syllables and did not have an offensive meaning in any language.

YELLOW STEEL GEOMETRIC REFLECTIONS IS A SCULPTURE BY MICHAEL BULFIN

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AT MIESIAN PLAZA OFF BAGGOT STREET IN DUBLIN

As already mentioned there are two prominent sculptures on the site – the yellow steel geometric Reflections (1978) by Michael Bulfin and Red Cardinal (1978) by John Burke.

Only recently did I learn that the complex where this yellow metal sculpture is located is now named “Miesian Plaza”. Miesian – relating to or characteristic of the German-born architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe or his work.

Michael Bulfin (born 1939) is an Irish sculptor and visual artist, based in Dublin. He is the son of Irish republican Éamonn Bulfin and grandson of William Bulfin of Derrinlough, Birr, County Offaly. He was educated at University College Dublin and Yale University, Connecticut, USA. He was awarded a German Government Scholarship in 1965 to study at a research laboratory in Hamburg, Germany, German Academic Exchange Service (Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst DAAD). He was chairman of the Project Arts Centre and the Sculptors Society of Ireland, and is a member of Aosdána.

His notable works include Reflections (1975) at the former Bank of Ireland Headquarters on Baggot Street, Dublin, A Walk Among Stone (1988) at Ballymun Flats (the sculpture and flats both since demolished), and Sky Train (2002) at Sculpture in the Parklands.

BLACK TULIP ON THE UCD CAMPUS

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A SCULPTURE BY EAMONN CEANNT

I photographed this on Little Christmas (6 January 2024).

Eamonn Ceannt (b.1953, Dublin) is a graduate and former Vice President of UCD. His work is notable for its tactile qualities and sinuous forms. Ceannt has travelled extensively over the years including north Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent and lived for a number of years in Kenya. The influence of native and classical art is evident in his work. ‘Black Tulip’ is one of a series of sculptures based on plant studies. This work was donated to UCD by RKD architects to mark their 100th anniversary.

MY SECOND ATTEMPT TO PHOTOGRAPH THE KING AND QUEEN IN TRIM REF-226417-1

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A SCULPTURE BY RONAN HALPIN

THE TOWN OF TRIM PHOTO BLOG

I first saw and photographed this sculpture on Christmas Day 2022 but was unable to isolate the sculpture from the trees and bushes and the fact that I used an iPhone did not help. This time as I used a canon 5D the result was a bit better. However it was not easy to photograph this as standing on the road was way too dangerous [some drive way too fast in Trim] and when I tried to photographed it from the field it was close to impossible to see sculpture because of the trees and the hedges.

Trim town contains a number of public artworks. These public works of art are an integral part of the urban fabric of Trim town, enriching the sense of place and the physical beauty of the natural environment.

Some of the public works were created by Meath County Council though the Per Cent for Art Scheme which allows institutions of the state to allocate a certain portion of the costs of the construction costs of a project to finance a work of art. These pieces include King and Queen, Cross Sundial and The Bell.

Ronan Halpin was inspired by the mythological site at nearby Tara, traditionally the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. The Hill of Tara was central to the political and pagan life of the Celts. The nearby castle at Trim was also visited by the kings of England. The bronze sculptures stand on the roadside and the nearby trees and vegetation have grown and regularly threaten to cover them.

In 1992 as part of the Per Cent for Art Ronan Halpin was commissioned by Meath County Council for ‘The King and Queen’ for the Trim by-pass. Ronan Halpin was born in 1958. He attended the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and completed his studies at the Yale School of Art, Newhaven, Connecticut. USA. In 1985 he returned to Dublin where he worked for a number of years before transferring his studio to Drogheda and in 1998 he moved to Achill Island. His works are in the private collections of former Taoiseach, John Bruton, former US President Bill Clinton and the poet, Seamus Heaney.

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