Pádraic Ó Conaire set to return, bronzed after his holiday

Pádraic Ó Conaire is finally coming home to Eyre Square – at least a bronze replica of him –  following an absence of 12 years.

City councillors have been told that the structure will be in situ within two weeks.

“There are three potential areas,” Galway City Council Communications officer, Gary McMahon, said of the final location.

“A structural engineer has been appointed and it will be a feature of Eyre Square for years to come.”

The original structure had to be removed from Galway Museum so it could be used to cast the new bronze sculpture and, at the time of the meeting on Tuesday, both replicas were still in Dublin awaiting transport back to Galway.

The new one weighs 350-400kg, so it will be no mean feat to move it. Mr McMahon said that this was one of the reasons for the delay, but also getting the foundations right, and deciding where to place the artwork.

“I hope he will not be moving again, and hope to have a proper structure in place, we will endeavour to get it finished as quickly as possible,” he said.

“It will happen very soon, and will be there for a long time.”

The original Albert Power sculpture will go back to the museum, with a much sturdier version to replace it in Eyre Square.

The almost life-size statue was commissioned in the 1930s, and unveiled by Taoiseach Éamon de Valera in June 1935.

Thereafter, it formed part of Galway City’s fabric, and featured in more than a few tourist photos. However, in 1999 the statue was severely damaged, and the head removed clean from the sculpture (and the site) in a late-night prank.

It was later retrieved in a bag and re-attached by artist, Mick Wilkins, but its days were numbered.

In 2004, during the renovation works in Eyre Square, it was moved to the grounds of City Hall, and from there to the new Museum.

Cllr Padriag Conneely was critical of the 12-year absence of the iconic feature from Kennedy Park, and said that the local authority was incompetent.

“This isn’t the Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower you’re bringing over – it’s Pádraic Ó Conaire,” he said at a meeting of the City Council last week.

“We don’t have the replacement or the original – I wouldn’t have you putting in a flower bed. It’s ridiculous how you operate, you’ve left yourself wide open to criticism. Some people are not confident of you doing anything – it’s ridiculous.”