Time honoured Longford tradition: Blacksmith of Kiernan's Cross statue unveiled
The statue is to honour three generations of the blacksmith trade in Killoe
The Blacksmith of Kiernan’s Cross statue which celebrates three generations of blacksmiths, including the legendary Victor Kiernan was unveiled on Sunday.
Being a privately-funded commemoration by the Kiernan family, with all eight children of Victor Kiernan contributing to the finances of it, the event acknowledged the importance of blacksmithing over the years.
Roughly 300 people were in attendance, including many of the late Victor's Fine Gael colleagues.
The artist of the bronze statue was Rory Breslin from Westport in Mayo, who had also created a similar statue in Ballinalee.
One of Victor’s daughters, Vanessa, said: “We are conscious that we don’t want to call it the Victor Kiernan statue. It is really called the Blacksmith of Kiernan’s Cross, in commemoration of third-generation trade of blacksmiths.”
With it being in the name of Mike, Sonny and Victor Kiernan, the statue acknowledges the importance of the trade.
Vanessa continued: “We would say over 100 years of traditional blacksmith work. Victor was still making and welding up until a few months before he died in November 2022. It really is to honour the craft and the skill, endurance and hard work that blacksmiths have done over the years.
"To remember how integral a forge was in a local community. A blacksmith provided essential services in terms of wheels, shoes for horses–the forge contributed to every element of life from farming, industry and transport. A forge was a part of the community. One point we would make, we just think for future generations that it was a big part of life, a working forge.”
Also in attendance was Victor’s brother, John Kiernan, who travelled from America, as well as his sister. John and Tom Brady, from Longford, were the ones to unveil the statue on the day.
The event did not just have the statue being unveiled. The Kiernan’s supplied plenty of entertainment afterwards with a family fun day. For the children, it included face painting, balloon modelling, a bouncy castle and kids’ disco. Ronan Norton, a local blacksmith, gave a horse-shoeing demonstration and a lot of people gathered to watch. Comhraiceoir Dóiteáin did fire blowing, with the connection to how iron is formed with heat. All these activities were free on the day.
Keeping tradition alive through these memorials, the unveiling of the statue proved to be a successful time to remember, celebrate and be enjoyed. Without needing any funding from the public, Victor Kiernan, who was a blacksmith, publican and county councillor, provided plenty to the community during his lifetime.