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LAST UPDATE | 26 Jul 2024
A WAX SCULPTURE of the late Sinéad O’Connor has been withdrawn from display at the National Wax Museum in Dublin after its unveiling yesterday was met with uproar from fans of the world famous singer.
The likeness was unveiled yesterday ahead of the first anniversary of O’Connor’s untimely death and was immediately met with mixed but mostly negative reaction online.
“After careful consideration and feedback from the public, we have decided to create a new wax figure that more accurately captures Sinead O’Connor’s essence and legacy,” said a spokesperson for the museum.
After a meeting held this morning, the decision was made to remove the figure.
Sinéad O’Connor’s brother John O’Connor phoned into RTÉ’s Liveline this afternoon and said the figure looked like something between “a mannequin and something out of the Thunderbirds”.
“I thought it was hideous,” he said, adding that a statue of the singer in Dublin city would be a more appropriate tribute.
Paddy Dunning, who runs the wax museum in Dublin, also called into Liveline to join Sinéad’s brother. He said: “I didn’t sleep last night.”
He said that the sculpture had not gone through the normal approval process. He apologised for upsetting people, particularly the O’Connor family, by unveiling the sculpture.
“We’ll go again and we’ll remodel and we have to do better,” he said.
Asked why the process had been rushed, Dunning said it was because of the anniversary of O’Connor’s death, which falls today.
Only yesterday, however, Dunning had said: “I think she would be happy with it. I think it’s put her forward as a serious artist.”
The artist who created the waxwork sculpture, PJ Heraty, has been behind many well received works for the museum in the past but Dunning said, “I know he could do better.”
Heraty has just retired and this was to be his last work for the museum.
Heraty created the sculpture of legendary rock star Phil Lynnott’s mother, Philomena Lynott, as well as the model of former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, both of whom praised his work.
“The National Wax Museum Plus is launching a new project to create a more accurate representation,” the museum said in a statement today.
A wax sculpture of Sinéad O'Connor has been unveiled at the National Wax Museum in Dublin today pic.twitter.com/SP2EtkMWm4
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) July 25, 2024
“In response to the public’s feedback regarding the wax figure, we acknowledge that the current representation did not meet our high standards or the expectations of Sinead’s devoted fans.
“We have listened closely to the reactions and agree that the figure does not fully capture Sinead’s unique presence and essence as we intended.”
The statement continued: “We deeply appreciate the public’s love for Sinead and share in their admiration for her remarkable career and contributions.”
The museum said it is committed to creating “a new wax figure that better reflects Sinead O’Connor’s true spirit and iconic image”, adding that work on a new likeness would begin immediately.
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And how much will church pay?
The church should pay the entire bill
I believe that the Religious have a strangle hold over the Health and School System; it is very unlikely that the Government will take legal action against their Landlords? As far as I know they still haven’t finished paying their agreed share from the 2002 Indemnity Deal to pay for Abuse in the Irish Industrial Schools
Surely the bill should be sent to the Vatican?
That’s an insult to these women. You’d be waiting for the Vatican to pay until kingdom come. Give them they’re money and let them get on with their lives.
Correction. State to pay €250,000.
The government gives 638 euros of our money to Africa every year. Where do it go ? Who gets it? They even saw fit to give 7 million euro to Libya. 250,000.? Insulting !
The Irish Psychiatric Profession should also apologise to Magdalene victims.
The Psychiatric profession colluded with the Catholic Church in incarcerating thousands of innocent Irish Women and Men for ” unacceptable, deviant behaviour” – ie. being a Single Mother or being a Homosexual in the Fifties and Sixties. Many lives were ruined by these guys ordering Lobotomies, Freezing Insulin Baths and Electric Shock Treatments on many healthy people.
When will the media scrutinise the numerous abuses by Consultant Psychiatrists ? We know of several cases involving these so called pillars of the Community locking innocent people up in return for large cash payments . They remain above the Law and when they get a diagnosis wrong, the unfortunate patient has no opportunity for redress. They intimidate and bully. Have any of these arrogant elitists ever apologised for the sins committed in the name of their professional research ?
We now know, thanks to great work, by the late Mary Rafferty that these abuses were/are still happening recently in Waterford and other Institutions. Doctor Dennis Lane O’ Kelly has been named in the excellent RTE documentary, ‘Behind the Walls’. Yet those who knew about this and other abuses are still employed by the HSE. Do these experts on all aspects of human nature really expect us to believe that they knew nothing about the sexual abuse of vulnerable people being instigated by one of their colleagues, Dr. Lane O’ Kelly ?
How much did the state give to the soldiers who were actually paid to do their work …..
That should read we give 638 million euro to Africa every or rather our government borrows and gives this huge amount on our behalf. Charity begins athome and 250,000 is a derisory sum
The catholic church should pay the bill. It sickens me that womens rights were violated in this way. Did the european union know this was going on? How did they get away with it
250,000 Given to this unheard of Centre, before the 3 Month audit of need they seem to think is required!! WHY??
On closer Scrutiny this Centre Does Not Exist??
Funding of Survivors Groups in Ireland has been very Controversial! Have they Learned NOTHING?
No doubt it will be London Based, as if there are only Survivors in London?
This is the Group that will receive the money http://www.irishsurvivorsuk.org.uk/
If this money is to paid immediately to a Project that does not exist?
For needs that haven’t been assessed yet?
I would like to know
“What Fund/Budget is this Money to be drawn from?”
HELP US MAGDALENES WHAT WITH A CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE ..I DONT THINK SO ITS A SHAM ..TO SUDDENLY CROP UP WITH NO HISTORY ITS A SUSPICIOUS ORGANISATION ..I FOR ONE WILL SKIP IT I CAN MAKE MY OWN TEA ..WHERE HAVE THOSE DO GOODERS BEEN WHEN SOME OF US LAY DYING FROM OVERDOSES AND ON LIFE SUPPORTS ..WHERE WERE THOSE DO GOODERS AND SO CALLED COUNCILLARS ..WHEN WE NEEDED THEM …I DONT WANT THEM NO THEY CAN SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUPS
can someone in the Irish Government pray tell just WHY ?? is that Woman in London getting another lot of funding £250,000 for a service THAT DOES NOT EXIST??? are they all insane
it is from the compansation that was supposed to be for the survivors, this Group in London and other so called Groups in the UK and Ireland surported by the irish State have been recieving Funding using survivors names saying they surport survivors and offer services to them ,(NOT ) those so called Groups are only interested in keeping themselves and their friends in their well paid JOB’s >While the real survivors have been IGNORED and BULLIED into SILENCE , they help survivors > Pig’s might Fly. It’s another CON
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