A proposal to give a giant statue of Queen Victoria, which has been placed in cold storage for almost 40 years, on loan to Australia was strongly opposed by the Minister for Finance, John Bruton.

IF Queen Elizabeth deigns to come to Cork during her State visit to Ireland, they may have to do a bit of heavy lifting at UCC. A statue of her predecessor, Queen Victoria, once held pride of place on the roof of the college’s Aula Maxima when it was Queen’s University Cork.