Plan for statues of revolutionary figures in Cork vetoed for not including any women

Cork City Council rejected a planned monument to Tomás Mac Curtain, Terence MacSwiney and Michael Collins at an estimated cost of €300,000

Terence MacSwiney was one of the figures who would have been commemorated had the vote passed. 

A proposal to erect statues of figureheads in the Irish revolution on Cork city’s main street has been voted down by councillors for not including any female representation.

A suggestion to build monuments to Tomás Mac Curtain, Terence MacSwiney and Michael Collins on Patrick’s Street was vetoed at Monday night’s council meeting.

The motion, which was submitted by Fine Gael councillor Shane O’Callaghan, had called for the statues to be erected to commemorate Cork’s contribution to the struggle for Irish independence. Mr O’Callaghan had proposed that the statues would be roughly the same size and design as the monument of Father Mathew which is currently on Patrick Street.

A “reasonable estimate” of the cost of the project would be €300,000, with each statue costing roughly €100,000, Mr O’Callaghan said. If a fourth statue was proposed, this would rise to €400,000. 

However, the motion was met with some resistance. Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy told the meeting he couldn’t support it. 

“I just couldn't support four male statues on Pana,” he said. 

I just think that the female context is completely forgotten from that time, the Cumann na mBan and all these other elements.

There are busts of Mac Curtain, MacSwiney and Collins around the city, and there are places and streets named after them, he added.

Fianna Fáil councillor Terry Shannon criticised the estimated cost of the project. 

“I don't think the city council can be accused of forgetting these people; Mac Curtain, MacSweeney, Collins.” 

However, the council “has forgotten others”, he added. 

There’s huge gratitude to the women of the struggle but there are no statues anywhere being proposed of them.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran also said he couldn’t support the proposal.

“The idea of commemorating that struggle a hundred years ago with three statues to men doesn’t capture the nuances of the revolution or the breadth of people involved. It certainly doesn’t capture the women involved.” 

Fr Mathew (seen here with a mask) could have been joined on Patrick Street by revolutionary heroes.

Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde supported the proposal and pointed out that it didn't preclude including any statues of women. Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent was also supportive of the motion but suggested it be amended to also include General Liam Lynch.

Ahead of the vote, Shane O’Callaghan said he was at a loss to see how it was controversial. 

“I’m not in any way opposed to commemorations of women who contributed to the revolution. I was supportive of Councillor Mick Finn’s proposal to commemorate the Wallace Sisters. I would be supportive of a commemorative monument to them as well.” 

However, the motion was voted down, at 14 against to 10 in favour, with Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, Labour and a number of independents voting against.