Cork-Hollywood link to be set in stone

Sculptures of Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marconi, and a man who was involved in one of the greatest escapes in Irish history are to be unveiled in part of West Cork in a drive to improve tourism.

Goleen and District Community Council has applied for planning permission to Cork County Council for the erection of the sculptures of the famous four who all had major connections with the area.

GDCC chairman Michael Collins said it is hoped to have all the sculptures unveiled within a year and a special an invitation will be extended to Crosby’s nephew, Harold, to attend the unveiling event.

Crosby’s ancestors hailed from the Lowertown area and a sculpture of him singing will be placed beside the local church.

Astaire visited the same area on a number of occasions before he died in 1987. The star was a frequent visitor to Castlepoint, Schull, where his daughter Ava McKenzie had a house for many years.

The third sculpture will be of Guglielmo Marconi, who developed the first effective system of radio communication with wireless telegraphy. In 1901, the Italian-born Marconi sent wireless signals across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time from a base at Brow Head, Crookhaven. A sculpture of him seated and listening to signals will be erected there.

Finally there will also be a sculpture dedicated to the Goleen-born Fenian Michael Harrington who, together with other Fenians, was deported to Australia by the British.

Together with five other Fenians, Harrington daringly broke out of Freemantle jail in Western Australia and escaped to America after receiving life sentences for their political activities.

Mr Collins said local community organisations would fund the projects, but added that a lot of the work would be done voluntarily.