The O'Connell Monument, by John Henry Foley (1818-1874), R. A.

Freize, The O'Connell Monument

J. H. Foley (1818-74), R. A.

Completed by Thomas Brock

1866-1883, but unveiled 1882

Bronze, on a granite plinth and limestone base

O'Connell Street, Dublin

Other Views

Entire monument

Daniel O'Connell

O'Connell and Frieze

Winged Victory, Fidelity, with dog

Photograph, caption, and commentary by Jacqueline Banerjee, 2009

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL.]

Above the splendidly winged Victories (representing Patriotism, Courage, Eloquence and Fidelity) and below the figure of O'Connell himself is an impressive circular frieze crowded with over thirty figures. In the front centre, the "Maid of Erin" (representing Ireland) points up at O'Connell, the liberator. The other figures include a bishop with his crosier, a workman with (perhaps) his hoe, a bewigged lawyer and so on, together representing all the elements of Irish society. Since the Victories are partly obscured by traffic lights, and the crowning figure of O'Connell shows the usual effects of exposure to bird-life, this frieze is perhaps is the most striking part of the monument. "It is not a novel design," writes Christine Casey, of the monument as a whole, but "it is a work of considerable gravitas and virtuosity"; she describes it as "the high point of public sculpture in Dublin" (61).

References

Casey, Christine. The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (The City within the Grand and Royal Canals and the Circular Road, with the Phoenix Park). New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2005.

McBride, Ian. History and Memory in Modern Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Read, Benedict. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1982.

Last modified 27 July 2009