New Oisín sculpture vandalised

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A new sculpture placed in Sean Walsh Memorial Park in Tallaght at the end of March as part of a new trail worth over €59,000 needs a hand after it was vandalised just days after.

The Oisín in dTír nan Óg sculpture is one of several carved wooden installations recently introduced to the Tallaght park as part of a new sculpture trail worth €59,307.27, inclusive of VAT, and had arms removed only days later in an act of anti-social behaviour.

However, South Dublin County Council’s Director of Climate Action Teresa Walsh stated that the council’s contractor for the project already has a replacement ready for this week.

The Director of Climate Action also noted that the damage done to the new sculpture was “extremely disappointing.”

She stated: “It is extremely disappointing that vandals would target a children’s sculpture trail in this way.

“The council’s contractor has made a replacement arm and is going to reinstall the arm this week.”

The Family Irish Mythology and Folklore Sculpture Trail consists of seven sculptures throughout the park inspired by well-known Irish stories.

The Children of Lir, The Salmon of Knowledge, Cú Chulainn and the Hound, The Leprechaun and his Pot of Gold, St Patrick in Ireland, and Fairy Rings are also represented throughout the park.

Special Branch Carvers’ John Hayes and Christopher Dee created the new installations.

The trail is intended to link the exploration of the park with education of these stories and figures of Irish mythology.

The local authority stated that this would allow families to be entertained by these stories in the library and then see them come to life in the park.

SDCC Senior Executive Parks and Landscape Officer Brendan Redmond stated on LinkedIn: “The approach was to create an engaging trail that draws families through the park while bringing familiar Irish stories off the page and into the landscape.

“It also ties in with the local library, giving people the opportunity to read the stories and then experience them in a real-life setting.”

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Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.