Lord Mayor unveils inspiring 7-metre-tall sculpture for Kildonan Park, Finglas

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, has formally unveiled ‘The Bridge: Fiacha Dhubha Fhionglaise ar Foluain – Finglas Ravens Soar’ by artist, Sara Cunningham-Bell, the third of six new sculptures as part of Dublin City Council’s Sculpture Dublin initiative.

The new seven-metre-tall sculpture comprises two figures with arms raised up, holding high a mirrored steel ‘river rug’ that is threaded through with symbols and signs of Finglas life.

Artist Sara Cunningham-Bell in front of the new sculpture

Inspired by the Irish translation ‘Fionnghlas’ (clear streamlet), the sculpture draws from the depths of local history, while also reflecting present-day Finglas.

The central form and choice of materials are informed by key points arising from the first phase of public consultation, namely; to acknowledge women’s contribution to family, community and city life; to create a positive landmark for the neighbourhood; and to create a feeling of ownership and pride in an artwork that celebrates local culture and contributes to a sense of shared identity.

Artist Sara Cunningham-Bell with Karen Downey of Sculpture Dublin

The commissioned sculpture includes a number of historical references from the 9th century Nethercross in St. Canice’s Graveyard, to the ‘Claíomh Solais’ (Sword of Light) designed by local artist, Una Watters to mark the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising. It remembers Sophie Pierce-Healy, a celebrated aviatrix of the 1920s, flying her plane ‘The Silver Lining’ at Kildonan Aerodrome, Ireland’s first commercial airport. It includes the word, ‘Finglas’ written in the Early Medieval Ogham alphabet, and the Norse black raven, associated with Viking Dublin, is referenced in the sculpture’s title.

The new sculpture includes visual references to the artistic and sporting life of the locality; from the Uilleann Piper, Séamus Ennis and contemporary rap artist, Temper-Mental Miss Elayneous, to popular sports like hurling, football and boxing and park pastimes, such as running and dog-walking. The outline of faces and figures of local people have been engraved into the body of the sculpture in a gesture that celebrates the unsung heroes of everyday life – mothers, community activists, social care workers – people who symbolise the often invisible and invaluable work that enriches our homes and neighbourhoods.

Extensive public consultation has been at the heart of the commissioning process for the sculpture for Kildonan Park, including the selection of Sara Cunningham-Bell as an artist with a demonstrable track record of working with local communities.

The work is the third of six new works that have been commissioned as part of Dublin City Council’s Sculpture Dublin initiative, including ‘RGB Sconce, Hold Your Nose’ that was unveiled outside Dublin City Hall in September, and ‘Smithfield Utah’ in Smithfield Square last month.

Speaking at the unveiling, Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland said “I am so proud to be able to unveil this third public artwork in the Sculpture Dublin series. ‘The Bridge: Fiacha Dhubha Fhionglaise ar Foluain – Finglas Ravens Soar’ is a striking example of the power of community and shared identity.”

“I want to congratulate the artist, Sara Cunningham-Bell, who has worked in close consultation with local people to create this sculpture. She has tirelessly dedicated herself to capturing the spirit of Finglas today and I hope that the local community will pause, engage with, and enjoy the sculpture. These sculptures are playing an important role in city life, and I look forward to further unveilings as the series progresses.”

Commissioned artist, Sara Cunningham-Bell said: “I am delighted and deeply honoured to have been invited to create a sculpture for Kildonan Park. The artwork has been informed by listening to and learning from the people of Finglas. Kildonan Park is such a valuable amenity in the local community and I wanted to create a significant sculptural landmark that can be interacted with and enjoyed as a feature of the locality.”

“This piece was born from strong community collaboration. It built itself up over a year, through a process of listening and sharing stories and knowledge, hopes and expectations. Even the sculpture’s materials were chosen through discussion with local people to seek out the optimum qualities required for the specific site.”

Sculpture Dublin Programme Director, Karen Downey said “The Kildonan Park commission is a ‘participative’ commission – one that involves local people in the development of ideas for the work and creates opportunities for people to get involved in the creative process. Sculpture Dublin sought to work with an artist experienced in working in open-ended, collaborative ways, to create an artwork through a shared process. The people who spoke to Sara over the past year gave her the insight and understanding needed to create an artwork that is genuinely responsive, ambitious and powerfully symbolic. They are all present in the sculpture; in its idealism and imaginative scope and in the symbolism of the motifs engraved and woven through its form.”

The commission for Kildonan Park was a two-stage, open competition. For Stage One, artists were invited to demonstrate experience of creating public art through consultation and engagement-based processes. For Stage Two, three short-listed artists were invited to propose a concept for the artwork based on local consultation and an approach to further engagement with members of the local community to develop the final sculpture.

Following the selection of Sara Cunningham-Bell’s proposal earlier this year, Visual Artists Ireland hosted an online café bringing together local arts and community voices around the Kildonan Park commission. Throughout the summer, Sara ran in-person consultations and creative workshops, alongside online focus groups with local people to help refine ideas for the work. Sculpture Dublin hosted public meetings in June and September to provide updates on the development of the sculpture commission in Kildonan Park.

Following a public presentation of Sara’s design for the sculpture, a visualisation of the proposed artwork was circulated through local press, social media and Finglas Library. Local people were invited to propose a title for the new sculpture and over 70 responses were received. Local residents are invited to a public launch of the sculpture in Kildonan Park on Saturday 13 November at 2pm. The event will feature performances by Finglas artists including, Fionn Ó hAlmhain, Elayne Adamczyk Harrington (aka Temper-Mental MissElayneous), Rachael Hegarty and The Forever Young Chorus.