VIDEO: Statue honours iconic moment in rugby history

An iconic moment in Irish sporting history recreated in bronze splendour, has gone on display at Shannon Airport.

The six-metre, 2.5 tonne sculpture unveiled in the main terminal captures Paul O’Connell in lineout orbit, lifted by John ‘The Bull’ Hayes and Donncha O’Callaghan.

The date was February 24, 2007, when the GAA opened Croke Park to the IRFU for a crucial home international against England. The line-out which has already featured in An Post stamps, occurred five minutes and 21 seconds into the second half when Ireland led by 26 point to 3.

He said: “I made a wax mould in my studio in Florence in different pieces. They were then brought to Dublin, where they were joined and cast in bronze.

"I met the three players when I was working on it to try and get what was going on in their heads at that moment of the game. I remember Donncha O’Callaghan telling me that in that line-out he felt ‘petrified’.”

Neil Pakey, CEO of the Shannon Group, came up with the idea: “ I had seen this particular photograph in many different places. I recognised it as an iconic image of that outstanding historic game. I felt this was an ideal image for the bronze and would resonate and re-enforce our strong sense of place.”

Among the guests yesterday was Sean Kelly MEP who, as president of the GAA in 2005, got the necessary two thirds majority vote through the association’s congress to open Croke Park for the rugby international.

Paul O’Connell on seeing the massive bronze said: “ I can’t get over the size of it. It is cool and I am very proud and it’s a great honour. My son, Paddy, is very excited at seeing it. In years to come it will be there when we are long forgotten. That day will always be up there.”

John Hayes, who took time off from the farm to view himself in the heat of battle cast in cold metal, said: “There was something about that day. You could feel the atmosphere like no other day. To see the statue is humbling.”

Donncha O’Callaghan said in Cork you play rugby if you don’t make it as a hurler or as a Gaelic footballer.

He said: “My gran wasn’t into rugby and follows Blackrock and St Michael’s where she played her bingo. She warned me I had better not lose a game in Croke Park or she’d never be able to go to St Michael’s for bingo again.”