New home sought for iconic Offaly sculpture

A NEW HOME is being sought for an iconic Offaly sculpture as some people feel its present location is no longer appropriate.

“The Turf Cutter” was created by the famous sculptor Oisín Kelly in 1979. Kelly was influenced by old Irish carvings, and the early 20th Century German master Ernst Barlach.

He was commissioned by Bord na Móna to provide a work for the front garden of their new headquarters on Baggot Street in Dublin. Kelly's masterly carving depicts a determined and resilient worker cutting turf with a sleán. The artist suffered a stroke while working on The Turf Cutter and it was finished by John Behan (whose work had been influenced by Kelly).

The sculpture stood for many years in front of the Baggot Street building before it was moved to Bord na Móna's new headquarters in Newbridge, Co Kildare, in the early 1990s.

After some time it was then moved to the entrance of Bord na Móna's works on the edge of Blackwater Bog in the townland of Clondelara, near Shannonbridge. The Blackwater works was a good location for the sculpture as the popular tourist train, for a number of years, departed from this spot.

The tourist train has long since ceased, Shannonbridge power station has shut down and Blackwater Bog is no longer harvested, therefore Kelly's work now seems in an inappropriate location.

A number of people are calling for it to be removed to a better location where more people and tourists will view it, and it will remind many more of Offaly's long and proud peat heritage.

The matter was raised during the December meeting of Offaly County Council.

Cllr Eamon Dooley told the meeting that “a better location” had to be found for the piece.

He suggested somewhere in West Offaly would be appropriate. The councillors mentioned Ferbane and Kilcormac as being good places for the sculpture.

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Cathaoirleach, said the work would also be warmly welcomed by the people of North Offaly.