Statue for Kilkenny

foxcoverteddy

I know mention had been made in the past regarding this issue, Henry Sheflan, Brian Cody, at least no one mentioned our Phil or Big John, however these are very local and visitors would probably wonder who they were.
To us Henry and Brian are local hero's, but no one mentioned the person who done so much for Kilkenny and other places, Carnegie, the library, it seems Carnegie done more for the education of the masses than anyone else.
However, as far as I am aware Kilkenny has never had a world famous son or daughter, well until now, yes Walter O'Brien, you have got to admit when the film is released, Callan will become iconic, so Kilkenny will become an international star so to speak, visitors will be looking for some indication of this genius, will Kilkenny rise to the occasion?
One other person comes to mind James Hoban, of white house fame, apart from a sort of memorial on the Cashel Road which resembles a public toilet, nothing.
Can our City rise to the occasion, only time will tell.
I suppose I could put myself forward, Foxy

catbear

Generally statues are commemorative to makes a persons legacy. It's premature to honour the living when they may in their duty get caught up in security issues adverse to their home country.

andyman

I also think a statue of someone involved in hurling with be a bit wrong as well.

Yes, Cody and Shefflin are heroes, but I think a statue should be of a local person who made an impact for many people inside and outside of Kilkenny. It's hard to word but what I'm saying is Cody and Shefflin are heroes here but the rest if the country don't really care.

An Albert Reynolds-type character would be the type of person I'd want a statue of. Not a hurler.

raze_them_all_

andyman wrote: »

I also think a statue of someone involved in hurling with be a bit wrong as well.

Yes, Cody and Shefflin are heroes, but I think a statue should be of a local person who made an impact for many people inside and outside of Kilkenny. It's hard to word but what I'm saying is Cody and Shefflin are heroes here but the rest if the country don't really care.

An Albert Reynolds-type character would be the type of person I'd want a statue of. Not a hurler.

I don't think hero means what you think it means

andyman

raze_them_all_ wrote: »

I don't think hero means what you think it means

Let's not clutch at straws. You know exactly what I meant.

foxcoverteddy

Unfortunately you are right our Hurlers would not be exactly the right material, though they have given their all for the sport.
In truth apart from Walter we have never produced any one of the same calibre.
Politicians are a nightmare, Coolmore stud is in Tipp, hey what about Shergar or some other famous horse.
Of course a horse would be perfect.
Gee up Foxy

madmaggie

A suggestion from a Scallion over the border, Alice Kytler. Whether she need be as , ahem, well endowed as Molly Malone is a matter of taste.

catbear

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Unfortunately you are right our Hurlers would not be exactly the right material, though they have given their all for the sport.
In truth apart from Walter we have never produced any one of the same calibre.
Politicians are a nightmare, Coolmore stud is in Tipp, hey what about Shergar or some other famous horse.
Of course a horse would be perfect.
Gee up Foxy

Yeah like there aren't major american colleges or international libraries named after someone from Kilkenny.

foxcoverteddy

Seeing we get many American visitors one would think a statue of a prominent American would be high on their list of things to see, provided of course we can arrange something connected to Kilkenny, General MacArthur sounds Irish but it might upset visitors from; but one could get Foxcoverteddy, everyone would say who the hells that, well Foxy is a sort of Peter Pan character, perhaps not.
There must be a famous person from Kilkenny, I thought of Lady Desert but who would know her?
Alice done a bunk, so that sort of negates her, what about the handball champion, wasn't it Ducksey, admitted no one would know who he was, is, I reckon a horse is favourite or a famous greyhound, pity Ned Kelly came from Tipp, I suppose one could put our phil in the same statue.
I reckon Foxcoverteddy has some mileage.

Cabaal

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

One other person comes to mind James Hoban, of white house fame, apart from a sort of memorial on the Cashel Road which resembles a public toilet

The monument built outside of Callan for Hoban was designed and built by architect students from America. They hold the man in high regard.

So while you might be quick to make little of it it says alot about our history and culture when we have to have people from another country to built a monument for a person.,..and even then people like yourself are quick to put it down.

Also has more fame then just the White House in Washington, he also designed Leinster house in Dublin.

As for your comparison to a public toilet, you must go to the toilet in some odd places if this is what you think a public toilet looks like

foxcoverteddy

No, no I am not putting it down, however who comes to see it? Perhaps a statue of the man , and to put it on the mayor's walk would be more befitting a man of extraordinary vision, the monument by students;well yes, my opinion is fairly dire I agree, at the moment it looks like something is a miss with the chain fencing around it.
In my opinion for what it is worth it doe not do justice to James Hoban, on the mayors walk it would please us and the American visitors.
Never seen a tour coach come to the site on the R695, and the answer to your question definitely.
We should hold him in high esteem why not call the CAS the Hoban bridge and the road to it Hoban Way?

Captain Havoc

Richard Cassels was the architect of Leinster House.

Cabaal

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Richard Cassels was the architect of Leinster House.

My mistake, not sure how I mixed that one up,:o

foxcoverteddy

Have a quick word with your mod, duff info. Is the Cassells fellow a Kilkenny man?

foxcoverteddy

Oh, that's okay thanks for telling us, guess old age has it's problems, ha ha
Peter Pan foxy

foxcoverteddy

The more one thinks about it, James Hoban appears to be the perfect choice, pity we do not do more to honour the man, it is as if he never existed, when he built an iconic building known the world over.
Come on Kilkenny, Hoban for the Mayor's walk, by the way are there any relatives living?
Well done Mod's.
Foxy

toe_knee

I think a statue for the hurlers is more than appropriate. I don't think the purpose is to bring tourists and I don't know of many statues that are built for this reason. Kilkenny is famous for hurling within Ireland and there are some businesses in Kilkenny working off this like the Kilkenny Way. We should be proud that down through the years so many people give up there time to an amature sport and we excel at it in Kilkenny.

On another note Walter O'Brien is not even from Kilkenny. He is a Wexford man born and rared. He moved to Kilkenny in his late teens. He spent more of his life in Wexford or America.

James Hoban is the only other person that deserves a statue/memorial and he already has.

foxcoverteddy

Good point's about Hurling, but it is very localised and would it stand the test of time, will Hurling still be around in another decade? remember what happened to cricket, Kilkenny football and rugby, mmm.
As for Walter, well yes he came from Wexford, but spent the more informative years here in Callan, his parents are still here so reckon he has fair claim.
As for our James Hoban, there is no statue in Kilkenny, how many know where the current thing is, very few I suspect, we need a vision, someone who defines what Kilkenny is about, no not me, but James is a bright shining light one of the real greats, everytime the White House is shown I get a burst of pride it was designed and built by a Kilkenny, well Callan man, it gives me quite a buzz so see the President in the white House.
Very few Irishmen, well Kilkenny, Callan born have risen to such heights.
By the way I am working on that one, Foxy

toe_knee

As far as I am aware Walter only spent two years in Kilkenny and then went onto University in England and then to America. He very rarely visits Ireland or Kilkenny for that matter. I have followed Walters career for a long time as I work in the industry and he is an amazing man.
The Kilkenny hurlers have been around for years and years. It should be recognised. Even if they fall out from grace over the next few years doesn't mean there achievements should be forgotten. That's like saying that the statue of Phil Lynott should never have been erected because he is no longer with us.

Unfortunately the reason no one knows where James Hobans memorial is is because no one cares. This is unfortunate but a reality. Why build another one for no one to care about in Kilkenny?

foxcoverteddy

Some very good points which are difficult to refute, I understand the Hurling thing, probably the best claim of all, something we excel in, okay a Hurler or the Manager? As long as it isn't one of those abstract efforts so beloved by the pro's.
James Hoban, why is he forgotten? No one forget Wren why Hoban is it not a reflection on Kilkenny that one of it's greatest son's is trashed to the forgotten, we do nothing to glorify his name, the same as Lady Desert and Carnegie.
In Kilmanagh there are two stained glass windows hanging in the church which were made by the, possibly the greatest stained glass artist that ever lived, Harry Clarke, which should attract hoards of visitors, I reckon so few people know they are even in Kilmanagh, again who cares, who has been to see them.
We have I think a tourist centre, how have they presented James and Harry?
How many more, will in future year Walter become an icon, forget about Wexford we can hi-jack him for our own, by the way what did happen to James later?

foxcoverteddy

Been looking up about James, it appears George asked James to build the white House, he is related to the Kenny family in Kilkenny, there is more info on Ancesters UK about James, last entry from a lady by the name of Booter from Worcester UK.
Does anyone here have information especially all the children that he and Suzanne had?
Hoban Way , go for it, sounds better than Foxcoverteddy Drive, I don't know.

toe_knee

I never knew about the stained glass windows. Will have to pay a visit myself. I do agree that more should be done to highlight Hobans work and any other people with similar links and accolades from Kilkenny. I see in Carlow for instance they built the George Bernard Shaw Theatre but I have never seen anything to celebrate John Tindall or others except a pub in his name

Cabaal

Its a pretty weak link (as its not a person who directly lived in Kilkenny) but there's always Asa Candler - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Griggs_Candler

Ok, you wouldn't build a statue to him but no harm in some sort of plaque being put up about the link (afaik the house the family came from was in West Street in Callan).

I note the Candler family home in Atlanta is also called "Callan Castle".

I think statue's or no statue's is no harm remembering the links that County Kilkenny has to the rest of the world,

Dozen Wicked Words

Here's four interesting county natives, who went to fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War.

Woodstock Gardens have a small memorial. Not a chance they would ever get more widespread recognition but still, might be of interest to some.

http://irelandscw.com/ibvol-KilkennyArt.htm

Captain Havoc

Cabaal wrote: »

My mistake, not sure how I mixed that one up,:o

He based the design on Leinster house, I think or it could be another house he designed.

Sky King

George Berkeley
Johnathan Swift
Richard Helsham

foxcoverteddy

Ah this is more difficult than one would imagine, James apparently designed Rossanara House out in Kilmaganny, though it is said to be a bit run down, however former residents were the Lavery's and the family who eventually bred Red Rum.
I would have thought anything associated with James would have an automatic preservation order.
Now the Candler's of Callan, why not have a plaque commemorating the fact that they marketed coca Cola, Tony O'Malley has one in Bridge Street.
I presume because I do not know how one gets a plaque, my thoughts go to the historical society, are they pushing the historical importance of such things.
The famine graveyard and the workhouse appear to have very little to encourage visitors.
I still reckon James is an ideal candidate for the mayor's walk, in London you can go and see Chris Wren's house on Bankside, quite near the Sam Wannamaker Globe re-incarnation.
What has to happen for a statue to be erected?

Cabaal

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Tony O'Malley has one in Bridge Street.
I presume because I do not know how one gets a plaque,

Tony only has a plaque due to the work of his wife and she also bought the building in question, You'd be a long time waiting on the council for such things.

If for example you look at the plaque's in Callan alone you'll note that the GAA one at the top of the Fair Green was put up by one of the Nollans, the plaque in West Street on the ruins of the old tower was put up by the Callan historical society, the same for the one around AIB in Green Street.

You';ll be a long time waiting for Kilkenny CC to fund such things

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

What has to happen for a statue to be erected?

Based on the track record of the council, they'll be more then happy to put a plaque or statue up as long as somebody else pays for the entire thing.,

foxcoverteddy

Well I have done my bit for the Candler's, I left an empty Coke Tin on the square, with a little note saying in memory of.
Seriously, do we not elect the council, do we not have any say about such historical things, where is the tourist board, the historical society, heavens above preserve our history for future generations.
Do you know if you put a tin of coke in water it sinks, put a sugar free one and it floats, who would have thought it.
If our local councillor reads Boards perhaps he might put in good word, I can't remember if there is a sign showing the way to kilmaganny at the cross.
It is time we the ratepayers took charger of what's going on, we are paying the money, we want value for it, no wonder tourists don't come to Callan, by the way have you ever seen such disgusting toilets, they are not fit for man or beast.

foxcoverteddy

I think I may have just solved the problem, well Walter O'Brien is alive and well, albeit in the states, how about someone asks him if he would like to fund a plaque in his honour in Kilkenny city, or we might get the hurlers to have a whip round to pay for a statue of Brian, I reckon that would be over subscribed.
In fact does anyone know where all the plaques are in Kilkenny, and if not where would we like to see them?

raze_them_all_

you never once mentioned him till last week now you want a statue for him