Edmund Ignatius Rice Monument

Freestanding cut-limestone monument, designed 1945; completed 1950; unveiled 195-. Street fronted on flagged footpath.

Preparatory drawings for the monument were submitted in 1945 and a plaster model was exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1947 (RHA 224).

A monument signed by Peter Grant (1915-2003) making a pleasing visual statement in Green Street. NOTE: The contract for the monument commemorating Edmund Ignatius Rice (1762-1844) was awarded to Grant following a limited competition: the unsuccessful competitors included Desmond Broe (1921-68) and John Francis Kavanagh (1903-84). Preparatory drawings for the monument were submitted in 1945 and a plaster model was exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1947 (RHA 224). The "Carlow Blue" limestone was supplied by James Walshe of Leighlinbridge and, according to Grant, 'arrived at the studio as a four tonne block of stone'. A pedestal (1949) by O'Connor and Aylward (formed 1938) of Dublin (Irish Builder 29th November 1947, 896) features a series of reliefs illustrating "Christ Teaching the Children Watched by the Apostles", "The Globe of the World and Learning" and "Mercury and the Music of Life" and the work of the Institute of the Christian Brothers of Ireland in providing education around the world: the pedestal was required to elevate the statue and protect it from potential damage by cattle during fair days. The monument was unveiled (July 195-) by Bishop Patrick Collier (1880-1964) and casts of the working model were subsequently made for the Christian Brothers in Macroom (1971) and Belfast (1987).

Preparatory drawings for the monument were submitted in 1945 and a plaster model was exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1947 (RHA 224).