Athlone sculpture controversy to be raised at council meeting

The controversy over the public art sculpture chosen to go on permanent display in Athlone later this year will be raised by Cllr Louise Heavin at next week's meeting of the Athlone - Moate Municipal District.

The Green Party councillor has submitted a question on the issue for the council executive, and is due to receive a response at the meeting on Monday.

She asked, "In light of the public opposition which has highlighted the inappropriate symbolism of the sculpture proposed on Church Street, Athlone, can the commissioning of the sculpture be suspended pending a review of its appropriateness in the town?"

In recent months there has been a local campaign objecting to the €60,000 Rory Breslin sculpture which was chosen. Campaigners have argued that it is inappropriate because it depicts a colonial river god created by the British in the 18th century, and that it should instead commemorate Síonnan, the granddaughter of Lir in Irish mythology.

Despite the high-profile objections, which have received coverage in both local and national media, there has been no indication to date that the council is planning to pull the plug on the contentious 11-foot piece.

The campaign is continuing, however, and this weekend a 'Shout out for Síonnan' event is planned on a boat under Athone's town bridge at approximately 4.30pm on Sunday. 

Organiser Caroline Coyle said this would be "a collaborative community event" which invites people to "embrace and celebrate Sionnan as Goddess of the Shannon through a music, river theatre and art performance."

She said it would involve a river theatre performance of Sionnan arriving by boat under the town's three bridges, singing to the people accompanied by an Uileann piper. 

This week, the Westmeath Independent asked the current Mayor of Athlone, Cllr Frankie Keena, for his views on the sculpture controversy.

Cllr Keena responded with a prepared statement in which he highlighted the public consultation process that took place earlier in the year, when Breslin's sculpture was one of three public art proposals that had been shortlisted for consideration.

He said the process of commissioning the sculpture "has been completed appropriately" and it was his understanding that the project would be ready before the end of the year.

"I am very much aware of the late public campaign against this proposed sculpture and I commend the organisers for the work they are putting into it," stated Cllr Keena.

"Really people will have different opinions in relation to art sculptures, for instance with this one some people like it and some are against it, that is what art is all about.

"I am also very conscious of how those members of the public who went to the effort of making submissions during the public consultation period in favour of this piece would feel if this proposed art sculpture was cancelled.

"As this was an open and transparent process with plenty of coverage in the Westmeath Independent and other local media outlets during the public consultation period, plus the fact that the assessment and commissioning process was carried out appropriately as per the County Public Art's Policy, I am satisfied that due process in selecting this piece was carried out," concluded Cllr Keena.