Sculpture made of steel salvaged from Carrick-on-Suir church unveiled on Waterford Greenway

Caption: Pictured at the official unveiling of The Blacksmith are Nicky Sheehan and Dick Clancy of Dungarvan’s Men’s Shed, Mayor of Waterford City & County Cllr John O’Leary, Johnny Brunnock, Trails Officer, Waterford City and County Council; Mick Norris, Dennis Moules and Michael Cass of Dungarvan Men’s Shed and welder Ger Kirwan from Rathgormack

An 11ft high sculpture of a blacksmith made from iron and steel forged by hand in Carrick-on-Suir two centuries ago for the roof of the town’s St Molleran’s Church, has been formally unveiled at Durrow Station on Waterford Greenway.

Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr John O’Leary joined members of Dungarvan Men’s Shed in performing the unveiling of The Blacksmith sculpture at a ceremony at Durrow on Thursday, September 29.

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The Blacksmith is made from the iron braces, nails, bolts, nuts and washers salvaged from the old roof of St Molleran’s in Carrickbeg when it was replaced during an extensive renovation of the early 19th century church five years ago.

The sculpture is a tribute to the local blacksmiths or ‘Gabha’ who worked in their forges in every parish all over Ireland.

The salvaging and recycling of the iron that held together the Carrickbeg church’s wooden roof trusses for close to 200 years into an artwork that will be enjoyed by visitors to the Waterford Greenway for years to come is the culmination of a project by a group of local volunteers and Dungarvan Men’s Shed members.

The pitch pine roof trusses of St Molleran’s Church in Carrickbeg and the iron fastners that held them together were salvaged by Mick Norris from Garravoone, Carrick-on-Suir during the renovation works.

Dungarvan Men’s Shed member Dennis Moules designed The Blacksmith sculpture to incorporate the metal remnants from the old church roof that are believed to have been hand forged at a blacksmith’s on the Old Bridge in Carrick-on-Suir.

He collaborated with welder Ger Kirwan from Carrowleigh, Rathgormack in finalising the design and Mr Kirwan welded the iron pieces together to create the sculpture.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Cllr O’Leary said he was delighted to be part of the event to formally launch The Blacksmith and by doing so highlighting the importance of the ongoing links of the wider community with the amenity that is Waterford Greenway.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to commend Dungarvan Men’s Shed for its work in the wider local community.”

Cllr O’Leary also paid tribute to Waterford City & County Council Greenway Team for their ongoing hard work on this project and others.

Nicky Sheehan, Chair of Dungarvan Men’s Shed said the group was delighted to donate this monument of The Blacksmith to Waterford Greenway.

“I would like to thank our Men’s Shed members ​who helped prepare the materials and ​work​ed together with Waterford City & County Council​ staff, Michael Norris and Ger Kirwan​ to deliver this important art piece at a location where many people will see it.”

The Blacksmith sculpture follows on from a previous collaboration between Dungarvan Men’s Shed and Waterford City & County Council where shed members created amenity benches which have been installed at a number of rest points along the Waterford Greenway. 

The benches were made with the old wooden trusses of Carrick-on-Suir’s St Molleran’s Church.