Cappoquin Community Sculpture
Completed in spring 2024, this public art installation was commissioned by the Cappoquin Community Development Committee and Waterford City & County Council in collaboration with my colleague Brendan O’Donnell.
The Brief:
To design, make, and install a memorial sculpture commemorating the life of the late Tom Cavanagh, his roots, and his contributions to the beautiful West Waterford town of Cappoquin.
Having studied the life of Tom, his origins in Cappoquin, his successful career, his environmental passion, and where he came to call home, Fermoy, Co. Cork, I developed concepts centered around the river Blackwater, which flows through Fermoy and meanders down to Cappoquin. The river became a real focal point, almost the lifeblood of the project, embodying and symbolising Tom’s life journey and his continued connection with his ancestral home, Cappoquin.
The sculpture comprises two main elements:
* The Base
* The Pinnacle
* The Base – This element is my interpretation of an actual mature oak tree that stands at Lismore Golf Course overlooking the back river. It is constructed from both rusted mild steel and galvanised steel. It is divided into individual ‘roots’ of alternating heights to represent Tom and the Tonar Trust, who have helped communities grow and rise.
* The Pinnacle – At the pinnacle stands a 4-foot Grey Heron, a familiar sight on the banks of the Blackwater.
During my research I happened upon a quote:
“Herons are symbolic of balance and stability, self-reliance, tact, wisdom, and knowledge.”
I thought this very apt when acknowledging the life and career of Tom.
