Christ the King makes triumphant comeback

DÃ?N Laoghaire welcomed back one of its most popular residents last week.

Carefully removed in May 2012 to facilitate the construction of the Central Library and Cultural Centre at Moran Park, the

‘Christ the King’ sculpture was finally returned to the park after a painstaking operation.

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council oversaw the restoration and return of Irish American sculptor Andrew O’ Connor’s much loved statue.

The sculpture has undergone a major restoration process by Brendan Watters, who has significant experience in the maintenance and conservation of public artworks.

The original selection criteria for the site was that there should be an uninterrupted view of the monument for ships entering and leaving the harbour as well as for those traversing the bay.

The sculpture was installed at the western end of Moran Park in a position of equal prominence to its original location and at the same height above ground level.

Its new location in the heart of the reconfigured and upgraded Moran Park has been chosen to reflect its cultural status and its emotional resonance for the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown community.

The

‘Triple Cross’ of Christ the King, symbolising the three distinct aspects of Christ’s life – Desolation, Consolation and Triumph – has been standing 18 feet high as a major landmark for the town since it was formally unveiled in 1978.

The statue has been cleaned and re-waxed, making the modeling and contours of the figure clearer, while the process will also help to slow down the oxidisation process and protect the bronze surface.

Moran Park is also being extensively landscaped and redeveloped as part of the Central Library and Cultural Centre works.

A new water feature will be an integral element of the park, and the gardens will host events, exhibits, film screenings, markets and performances.