Locals outraged over disappearance of moving statue

A MOVING statue has gone AWOL.

The statue of the Blessed Virgin stood in Kilfinane since 1932 after it was hand-crafted by local tradesmen.But after a number of moves over the past nine months, it reportedly went missing in recent days.

It was shifted from its original location last summer while work was carried out on a €2 million redesign of the town square.

Then a local person tried to restore it to its old standing ground three weeks ago, and in the process the statue was damaged.

And during a further movement of the state two weeks ago, the head came adrift.

Now it has gone missing altogether and locals are outraged.

Tom O’Donoghue: “That statue was all made by hand and maintained by honest hard-working people. There was great detail on the cloak and outstretched arms, like a hen gathering her chickens under her wings.”

Mr O’Donoghue said like other local people he wants the statue returned by whoever has taken it away.

After the statue was moved last summer to make way for work on the local square, it was reinstated.

However, some felt it was erected too low to the ground and a local is said to have moved it.

It was then decided to put it on a plinth, so it would be out of harms way.

But during this work, the statue was damaged and never made it to the plinth.

In a further move the head of statue came off.

And now it’s gone missing.

Mr O’Donoghue said: “I will be outraged if the original is not fixed perfectly and returned to the square. It’s priceless.”