State Papers 1977 - Casement’s statue eventually unveiled

WHEN Roger Casement’s remains were returned to Ireland in 1965, the year before the golden jubilee of the Easter Rebellion, it was decided to erect a life-size statue of him by his grave in Glasnevin.

The sculptor Oisín Kelly was commissioned, and the statue was duly cast.

Initially it was hoped that President Eamon de Valera would unveil it in 1971 but the statue was essentially abandoned in the yard of the Office of Public Works in Ladd Lane, off Baggot Street, Dublin.

Repeated efforts to get the approval the Department of Finance which controlled the OPW, to release the statue, were ignored.

Following the advent of the coalition Government, Finance Minister Richie Ryan “intimated that the statue should be put in position quietly without attendant ceremony”. Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave agreed to the idea on July 31, 1974.

But Richard Stokes of the Taoiseach’s department warned that this would lend credence to suggestions that Casement was a disgrace because he was gay.

Moreover, Stokes added, Fianna Fáil might exploit Casement’s graveside erection by quietly holding its own dedication ceremony at the graveside.

The matter came to the fore in 1977 when the Arts Council organised an exhibition of Oisín Kelly’s works, and sought to use the statue. Mr Stokes advised the Taoiseach that the Arts Council should be facilitated.

“The statue should be given on loan for this major exhibition of a reputable and distinguished Irish artist’s work,” he wrote, “even though it will show up the fact that after 12 years we have still not erected a memorial at the graveside.” In fact, it would be a further seven years and three different Governments before the statue was finally unveiled in Ballyheigue, County Kerry, by then Tánaiste Dick Spring on September 28, 1984.

The statue overlooks Tralee Bay where Casement landed on his final mission on Good Friday, 1916. As he landed, the arms ship, the Aud, was waiting in Tralee Bay with arms for the Easter Rebellion, which was to take place that weekend.

Ironically, on the same day the statue was unveiled Martin Ferris, now the Sinn Féin deputy, was arrested just off the coast while gunrunning on the Marita Ann. He subsequently defeated Dick Spring and took his Dáil seat in the General Election of 2002.