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Date Posted: 07:56:55 09/03/02 Tue
Author: Memorials
Subject: Sligo & Derry

THE EMIGRANT FAMILY

This sculpture is in front of Silgo Town Hall and fits in well because it is near to the docks, and is viewed by many important, national and international, visitors who are invited to the Mayor’s Parlour. Its location was specifically chosen because at that site emigrants would have boarded the ‘coffin-ships’. It is significant also because, soon after their voyage commenced, the town and coast of Sligo would have been their last sight of Ireland, to which few would ever return, even if they lived long enough to reach America.

The piece was made by Naill Bruton .It is eight feet in height and cost £25,000 to make in 1995.It is made from three bronze figures on a stone plinth. A passer-by said ‘I think that it is a very sad situation for this family to be in and they show this in the expressions on their faces.’

I think that the sculpture fits in appropriately with its surroundings and the expressions on the people faces of sadness is tinged with of a glimmer of hope. I say this because this figurative sculpture shows the torment and tragedy that has befallen a starving family. It portrays the anguish of the parents who, may possibly have already buried a child in what is to-day referred to as a paupers’ mass grave or a famine graveyard. Only the child now by their side pointing to an on coming ship offers a sense of hope for the future.

THE EMIGRANTS

This sculpture is situated in Waterloo Place in Derry City Centre. It is six foot in height and is made from copper. The sculptor is a man called Eamon O’Doherty and is best known for his large-scale public sculptures, five of which stand in Dublin, two in Galway and two in Derry. Among these are landmark works such as the ‘Anna Liva’, the James Connolly Memorial and the ‘Tree of Gold’, in central Dublin.

The sculpture was made in 1993. A passerby said ‘I think that the statue is positioned very well because Derry was an emigrant centre.’ I think that it is a very effective piece and I like the way the little girl is reaching over to the tap for some water because it shows how thirsty, hungry and poor she is. The subject matter is ‘The Irish Famine’ and the people going on the coffin ships to America. It is a very good place for the sculpture to be, because Derry was an emigrants centre at that time.

CARLISLE CIRCUS

This sculpture is situated on a roundabout in front of the city side of the Cragavon Bridge in Derry. The sculpture doesn’t fit in with its surroundings but is in an interesting setting. The river divides the city both geographically and politically and is joined by the bridge. Both figures of the sculpture stand on separate walls, are reaching out but not quite touching. This symbolizes the situation in the city and in Northern Ireland.

The figures are made of bronze and they are standing on locally quarried stone walls. The overall height is approximately 10 feet. A passer by said that the sculpture is very symbolic of the current situation. I think that the two figures should have joined hands because this would show a sign of hope.

The subject matter of this sculpture is the situation between two distinct groups or communities and their relationship with each other. They both look similar but there is something separating them.

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