Artistic collaboration unveiled in Cork's Peace Park

A SCULPTURE of a stone circle has been unveiled in one of the final acts of former lord mayor Kieran McCarthy’s time in office.

The circle is situated in the Peace Park on the South Mall and has been created as part of a collaboration between sculptor Tommy Lysaght and members of Cork Simon Community and Headway Ireland.

Mr Lysaght told The Echo the project, Scenius, had been about inclusion, connection, and community.

“The word community comes from the Latin communitas, meaning public spirt, and that is what we were hoping to achieve with the work we did to create this stone circle.

“I acquired the stones from the most westerly quarry in Europe, on Valentia Island, and one went to Simon House on the Victoria Rd, one went to Headway, which helps people with acquired brain injuries, on the Carrigrohane Rd, and one went to my studio in Crosshaven,” he said.

Mr Lysaght explained that each stone bears different designs, with the Headway stone featuring zig-zag lines, representing the river and the sea, and facing the Lee, while the Simon stone features Ogham lettering meaning síocháin, or peace, and facing down the South Mall.

The sculptor said his own stone features concentric circles, which were inspired by the ripple effect and represent the individual, the family, the community, and the country.

He said he had been involved in workshops at Simon and Headway and that both organisations did important work helping people who had survived acquired brain injuries.

“There were 40 or 50 people involved in the project in total, with 12 people involved in carving the stones.

“This project was funded by Cork City Council’s placemaking fund, and the lord mayor very kindly facilitated its opening,” Mr Lysaght said.

Mr McCarthy said the project had been a “tremendous collaboration”.

“It’s clearly been a labour of love by all involved, from sourcing the stones in Kerry, to bringing them here, preparing them, and erecting them.

“There are multiple meanings attached to this sculpture and it’s a very significant addition to this historic corner of our city,” Mr McCarthy said.

He said the unveiling had been one of three final acts in his lord mayoralty, “all of them quite emotional”.