The Haunting Soldier

Bin Ridin

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I went to town to see this sculpture yesterday, what an amazing work it is! The red paint that some morons decided to throw at it on Wednesday night has been removed, no harm done. The idea, design and execution are simple amazing. The people concerned should be very proud of themselves.
Hoping to go the the ceremony ending the exhibition tomorrow. Poignant when you think of the number of people whose lives were lost or destroyed by that dreadful war. 70+ years of peace in Europe since the last war is a great benefit to my generation, and should not be forgotten. Wars don't show who is right, they just show who is left, as someone once said.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j6genM4AvQwzNsbn9
 
Wow..... I didn't realise the scale of it.
It's fantastic.

Sent from a U11
 
Like the cartoon in the pics too! Any reason for the vandalism? Residual anti Brit feeling? A-political morons?
 
scotboxer said:
Like the cartoon in the pics too! Any reason for the vandalism? Residual anti Brit feeling? A-political morons?
Click to expand...
Nothing to do with "anti Brit" sentiment.........just mindless, moronic vandalism.

Plenty of Irish lads bled and died in that war.

Sent from a U11
 
younger06 said:
Nothing to do with "anti Brit" sentiment.........just mindless, moronic vandalism.

Plenty of Irish lads bled and died in that war.

Sent from a U11
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm very aware of that but I'm also aware of the way Irish veterans were treated during the war of Independence, in the post war troubles and during the Free State era. Also that there is a rump of Republican sentiment that objects to any commemoration linked with "British colonialism".

I am conscious of the sensitivities involved. Maybe ongoing centenary commemorations of the war in Ireland with Crown forces and the civil war that followed can allow these demons to be laid to rest. Meanwhile I can recommend Fergal Keane's book "Wounds".
 
I have tried to think of who would be mad enough to break into the green in the middle of the night to feck a small pot of red paint at this amazing piece of work. I wonder would it be an anti-war protest ("show me the blood") or some other mad thing? I can't see it being a Republican protest - might be wrong. Anyhow, it has put a highlight on it and looks like no lasting damage done.
 
Ceremony was quite good, an historic occasion. It was kept low-key, no flags or politicians. It is a touchy subject still. The ceremony started with a man singing Waltzing Matilda by Willy Clancy, then a short speech by Sabrina Purcell who organised the display of the sculpture in Dublin for the Armistice commemoration.There were short spiffs by at least 20 or 30 grandchildren or nephews / nieces of soldiers who fought, some returning home, some killed in battle. One guy from NZ talked about all the animals which were part of the war and many of whom were killed. Horses, camels, donkeys, dogs, pigeons. A young lad gave an account of how the "Wipers Times" came about. (Ypres pronounced the way the soldiers used to say it was Wipers). Another man read a letter written by his father (I think) to his mother describing the Cease Fire which occurred on Christmas Eve in 1914. Finally, we had Amazing Grace by a Piper and Last Post / Reveille by a Bugler. Memorable and moving. 200,000 Irish soldiers fought, 50,000 were killed. Should not be forgotten.

I added a couple of pictures of the crowd to the album.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j6genM4AvQwzNsbn9

Sin a bhfuil!
 
Bin Ridin said:
Ceremony was quite good, an historic occasion. It was kept low-key, no flags or politicians. It is a touchy subject still. The ceremony started with a man singing Waltzing Matilda by Willy Clancy, then a short speech by Sabrina Purcell who organised the display of the sculpture in Dublin for the Armistice commemoration.There were short spiffs by at least 20 or 30 grandchildren or nephews / nieces of soldiers who fought, some returning home, some killed in battle. One guy from NZ talked about all the animals which were part of the war and many of whom were killed. Horses, camels, donkeys, dogs, pigeons. A young lad gave an account of how the "Wipers Times" came about. (Ypres pronounced the way the soldiers used to say it was Wipers). Another man read a letter written by his father (I think) to his mother describing the Cease Fire which occurred on Christmas Eve in 1914. Finally, we had Amazing Grace by a Piper and Last Post / Reveille by a Bugler. Memorable and moving. 200,000 Irish soldiers fought, 50,000 were killed. Should not be forgotten.

I added a couple of pictures of the crowd to the album.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j6genM4AvQwzNsbn9

Sin a bhfuil!
Click to expand...

Sounds grand. The less involvement by "the Captains and the Kings" and the more by those directly affected, the better. We could learn from that over here. Butting out now and hoping no corns were stood on! :D
 
scotboxer said:
Sounds grand. The less involvement by "the Captains and the Kings" and the more by those directly affected, the better. We could learn from that over here. Butting out now and hoping no corns were stood on! :D
Click to expand...

Sorry about that the other day!!! (I assume that was for me)
 
Wow a certainly outstanding piece of work and as a commemorative it certainly stirs the heart strings.
 
0a919554d771f3c54d16bf7dc27e1564.jpg


At GDSF this year.
 
These types of sculptures are very interesting up close when you can see the variety of components up cycled into it I saw a giant seagull in a hotel lobby during the summer and it was amazing to see the ingenuity and skill involved in putting it together. Of course this takes the whole thing a step further with the representation of brave men and the sacrifices they made. It's a great achievement that we haven't had a major world war since WW2 although a lot of brave soldiers have been sacrificed in Vietnam etc etc.
 
B Murr said:
These types of sculptures are very interesting up close when you can see the variety of components up cycled into it I saw a giant seagull in a hotel lobby during the summer and it was amazing to see the ingenuity and skill involved in putting it together. Of course this takes the whole thing a step further with the representation of brave men and the sacrifices they made. It's a great achievement that we haven't had a major world war since WW2 although a lot of brave soldiers have been sacrificed in Vietnam etc etc.
Click to expand...

and then we have the irony of Brexit....
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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