Irish Ships and Shipping
KILMORE QUAY MEMORIAL GARDEN
(IN HONOUR OF THOSE LOST AT SEA)
BY TONY BRENNAN.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The first sod was turned by Peggy Murphy, Kilmore Quay as
the sun set on the old millennium on December 31st 1999, on a site near Forlorn
Point overlooking the area aptly named 'The Graveyard of a Thousand Ships'.
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The Garden, in the shape of a mooring bollard, includes a stone ship with a compass fountain, designed and constructed by John Power, which incorporates a propeller blade from the ship "Lennox", lost off the Saltee Islands in 1916. The blade was recovered from the wreck by Edmund O'Byrne and his team of divers.
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The
Vigil Sculpture, of two grieving figures looking out to sea, and the Ship's
Wheel, are the work of sculptor Ciaran O'Brien. The inscriptions on the plinth
are by Oilie Kearns, and the stonework on the ship and surrounding wall is the
work of local stonemason Declan Cleary.
The project was brought to fruition with the support of
the Department of the Marine, Wexford County Council,
Aer Lingus and the generosity of many people who
contributed both time and money.
The Trail and Garden was opened on June 17th 2001 by Hugh
Byrne, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Marine and Natural
Resources.
A Memorial
Service is held each year.
The committee involved in the project are: John Power,
Chairman, Fr. Jim Cogley, Vice-chairman, Deirdre Brady, Secretary, Pat Creevey,
Treasurer, Helen Sheehan, PRO, Cllr. Jo Doyle, Edmund O'Byme and Michael Way.
For information with regard
to future inscriptions on this permanent memorial, please contact: John Power, "Olinda"
Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford. Tel: 053 - 29799
ALL PHOTOS © TONY BRENNAN
VISIT TONY BRENNAN'S WEBSITE AT: AROUND DUBLIN PORT
Visit Kilmore Quay at: www.kilmorequayweb.com
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