Crowdfunding bid launched for Michael Collins statue in Cork City

Sculptor says statue will be 'monument for the people, by the people'

Mon, 05 Dec, 2022 - 17:30

Eoin English

The new Michael Collins statue planned for Cork City will be “a monument for the people, by the people”, its sculptor has said.

Kevin Holland, who created the landmark statue of Collins in Clonakilty, unveiled by actor Liam Neeson in 2002, made his comments at the launch of a crowdfunding campaign in Cork City Hall at the weekend to help fund the new piece.

The favoured location is on St Patrick’s St, with discussions ongoing about its exact location.

The proposed statue will be based on this famous photograph.

The near life-size piece will feature Collins standing alongside a bicycle, based on the iconic photograph of him taken with a Pierce bicycle in Wexford in 1922 when he cycled around Dublin at a time when there was a bounty on his head.

Mr Holland, who also created the sculpture of the Ford Model T in Ballinascarthy, between Clonakilty and Bandon, said from a sculptor’s point of view, Collins is totally worthy of a national monument.

“He is one of the most pivotal people in Irish history,” he said.

He is a fascinating subject, interesting, attractive, a man of many facets.

“This statue will be funded by public donations — the public are directly involved in this commission. So, this is a commission from the roots up, this is a monument for the people, funded by the people.”

Mr Holland displayed the head of the statue, without the hat, at the launch of the fundraising campaign by the Lord Mayor Deirdre Forde who said a statue of Collins would be a great addition to the city.

In September, Cork City Council passed a motion proposed by Cllr Shane O’Callaghan, asking it to facilitate the placing of a statue in the city centre.

Lord Mayor Cllr Deirdre Forde with Tadhg Crowley at the reception.

The Michael Collins 100 Committee, whose members were involved in the commissioning of the Clonakilty statue, will raise the funds, have the statue made, and present it to the city council for placement.

Committee chairman Tim Crowley said the idea for a statue of Collins in the city came about as a result of discussions between him, Noel Scannell, Cork businessman Jerry Carey, and Cllr O’Callaghan.

He described how the Collins statue in Clonakilty had become a major landmark in West Cork and had attracted a large amount of extra tourism to the area, and how the new city statue could do the same.

Collins’ grand-niece Fidelma Collins said the committee plans to place the name of every person who makes a contribution to the fundraising drive in a “time capsule” which will be placed in the plinth of the statue.

Those who contribute will also get a special certificate — modelled on the certificate that Collins issued for the national loan when he was minister for finance in the outlawed Dáil government — acknowledging their contribution.

The Michael Collins bridge was opened in the city centre in 1984, and a Séamus Murphy bust of Collins is on display in Fitzgerald’s Park.

Sculptor Kevin Holland also created the landmark statue of Collins in Clonakilty.

There are several existing representations of Michael Collins in State ownership, including the iconic three-quarter-length portrait painted by renowned artist Leo Whelan in the entrance hall to Leinster House.

There is another representation of Collins on view in the environs of Leinster House.

There are a number of other portraits of Michael Collins in the State’s collection, including the painting by Sarah Cecilia Harrison which hangs in the Taoiseach’s office, the small full-length bronze figure by Eamonn O’Doherty which is in Dublin Castle and a portrait drawing by Angie Shanahan, which is in Government Buildings.

There are also other sculptural representations of Michael Collins in the State Art Collection by sculptor Albert Power.

See michaelcollinsstatue.com for details on how to make a contribution.