“I hope the sculpture lifts the spirits of the viewer and that they eventually become a warm and happy reflection of the character of the town” says sculptor
By Andy Spearman
I’ve visited the new sculptures at St. Peter’s Place a few times now and I have to say I like them more with each viewing. The concrete dam-like structure they stand in front of is severe but perhaps time will soften it.
The sculptures have been the subject of much negative comment on Facebook with people giving their opinions and gut reactions without having any information on which to base their opinions. I wonder how many took part in the public consultation process organised by the Council to select the artwork.
Initially my visits were short, I’d lock my bike to the new bike stands and go about my business or else I’d pass them on my way to Clarke’s pub.
But then I decided to sit down and have a good look at the installation, it’s called “Inspired to Meet”, and the more I looked, the more I saw.
The two granite birds reminded me of the Twitter logo and that got me to thinking about the messages they might send out into the world and suddenly it clicked with me, the clue is in the name. “Inspired to Meet”.
Maybe I’m overthinking it but to me these two birds on their pedestals represent the religious divide that has caused so much grief in this beautiful country of ours for centuries.
The two birds are facing each other as if they are in conversation so perhaps the message being expressed so elegantly and wittily by sculptor Michael Disley is one of hope for the future rather than continued strife.
Perhaps these tough little birds can be part of a chorus for a new dawn for Drogheda and for Ireland. Not a bad message as we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
For a more informed take on what the “Inspired to Meet” birds are all about I contacted the creator of the piece, Michael Disley, who told me that he is very grateful that his design was chosen for Drogheda, said he is always happy to talk about public spaces and the way that we react to them.
“The sculpture idea is a simple one” he said, “I wanted to create a connection between the two churches and make something that suggests a friendly place to meet up. Birds are something we all love to look at and their simplicity warms our hearts. I hope the sculpture lifts the spirits of the viewer and that they eventually become a warm and happy reflection of the character of the town.
“I have had a long career as both stonemason and sculptor and am aware that any work chosen to be a part of the built environment can create discourse, which from my perspective is positive.
“Sculpture generates so much more of a polarised argument than say, a new housing or retail development, and I am always hopeful that this will lead to more analysis of other areas of building design in our town centres.
“I hope that the work celebrates the wry sense of humour that has been my experience on every trip I have made to Ireland.”
