Famous Seamus Murphy sculpture removed from Cork park for restoration 

 Seamus Murphy carving 'Dreamline'. The sculpture is to restored under the supervision of conservator of sculpture, Eoghan Daltun.

A famous work by legendary sculptor Seamus Murphy has been removed from its outdoor home of almost 50 years to be restored to its former glory.

The stunning carving entitled ‘Dreamline’ has been battered by the elements since it was placed on display in Cork’s Fitzgerald’s Park in 1977.

But it was carefully removed from its plinth by experts this week and moved to a secure facility where it will undergo extensive conservation and restoration under the supervision of conservator of sculpture, Eoghan Daltun.

Curator of Cork Public Museum, Daniel Breen, said the work has been planned in consultation with, and with the approval of Mr Murphy’s family, supported by the city council's parks department.

Indoors display

But he confirmed that once the piece is restored, it will go on permanent display indoors at the museum, initially as a key feature of an exhibition on Murphy, which will include some of his other work which is in the care of the city, but in storage, and some of his original tools.

“Murphy is very important to us, his work surrounds us here at the museum and in the park," he said.

“We are not an art gallery but Murphy is so connected to us, and to so many aspects of the social and cultural life of Cork, that we feel this exhibition later in the year is fitting.” 

It is also hoped to put on display his application letter to be the museum’s first curator when it opened in 1945, a job which was ultimately given to Prof MJ O’Kelly, an archaeologist at UCC who excavated Newgrange.

One of Ireland’s greatest sculptors

Seamus Murphy, who was born in Mallow in 1907 and who died in 1975, is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest sculptors and stone carvers.

He created almost 400 pieces during the course of his career but is widely known for designing the Church of the Annunciation in Blackpool, Cork.

Unveiling of Seamus Murphy's sculpture, 'Dreamline', by Lord Mayor Gerald Goldberg, right, at Fitzgerald Park, Cork in 1977.

But his carvings of statues, gravestones, monuments and plaques can be found all over Ireland and internationally. Among his commissions were 'Saint Brigid and the Twelve Apostles' in San Francisco. He created bronze busts of five presidents of Ireland, which are on display in Áras an Uachtaráin, he created a bust of President John F Kennedy for the US Embassy in Dublin and he created the United Nations monument in Glasnevin.

In 1950 he published Stone Mad, his famous book celebrating the work of ‘the stonies’ whose craft, which dated from medieval times, had begun to die out in the 1940s. It was voted Cork’s favourite book in 2013.

He carved 'Dreamline' in 1932. It was first exhibited in Cork in 1934 and later at the Royal Hibernian Academy.

It was placed in Fitzgerald's Park in 1977 as an addition to the ‘Cork Sculptural Park’, which was established in the mid 1960’s and chaired by Aloys Fleischman.

Tree collapse

Meanwhile, one of the most majestic trees in Fitzgerald’s Park, the soaring Indian Bean Tree, native to the south eastern United States and which stood behind the museum for over 120 years, fell on Monday morning.

Museum officials believe it was planted in or around the time of the Great Cork Exhibition in 1902 and 1903.

It fell close to the ‘sky garden’ area. No-one was injured. It has since been removed by tree surgeons.