Anger at delay in repairing Wilde statue

Date Published: 28-Dec-2007

The icon that holds the top spot with visitors to Galway, now that Padraic Ó Conaire has relinquished his position, has been left in a deplorable state, a City Councillor has said.

The Wilde sculpture in the city centre has been cordoned off by the City Council for the past three months, with no sign of it being repaired. The gift from the people of Tartu, Estonia, was unveiled on William Street as part of the ‘Day of Welcomes’ celebration in April 2004.

It features Oscar Wilde sitting alongside the famous Estonian writer, Eduard Wilde, on a slab of granite. However, about three months ago the seating area between the two literary legends developed a crack and sagged, which was followed by the City Council cordoning the sculpture off.

“The Council thought it would collapse, so…..