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Dublin councillor seeking statue of Sinéad O'Connor to redress 'lack of female representation'

Leslie Kane is hoping other councillors seek to have Dublin City Council policy changed to erect the statue.

A SINN FÉIN councillor is seeking that a statue of the late, legendary singer Sinéad O’Connor be erected in Dublin city.

Leslie Kane, a local representative for Ballymun-Finglas, asked Dublin City Council this week about the possibility of erecting the statue. The issue previously arose in August after reports that the council were seeking policy changes to do so.

O’Connor died of natural causes in July 2023 in London, UK. She was reposed in Bray, Co Wicklow shortly after her death and buried in Deansgrange, Dublin.

A sculpture, erected in Dublin’s Wax Museum last year to mark the first anniversary of her death, was pulled from the exhibition the following day after Sinéad’s brother, John, called RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline to express his unhappiness with the waxwork.

Shortly after, discussions took place within Dublin City Council on whether a statue could be unveiled in the city, and where. Currently, an artist or noteworthy person must be deceased for at least 20 years before a public sculpture can be dedicated to them.

Kane told The Journal that discussions on changing the policy came up again after Irish boxer Kellie Harrington won her second Olympic gold medal during the summer. Councillors have yet to be updated on whether or not any changes will be implemented.

“There’s a lack of representation of female statues in the city,” Kane said, adding that the history of important Irish women is not “visible” in Dublin.

“It’s something that I would like to see more of. And residents of my area have been onto me as well regarding the issue – it’s something that’s close to people’s hearts.”

There was cross-party support for the policy to be changed in August last year, with then-Dublin City Lord Mayor James Geoghegan also saying that he was in favour of the policy being redrafted so a statue can be dedicated to the singer.

Kane said she hopes the new Fine Gael Lord Mayor, Emma Blain, will continue her predecessor’s commitment to changing the policy – adding that she will also continue to engage with the council on the issue.

The Journal reported last August on discussions taking place to erect a statue of O’Connor in Bray. O’Connor grew up in various parts of Dublin and later bought a home in the seaside Wicklow town.

Green Party councillor Erika Doyle said that there were no formal plans in place but added that she would “love to see” the singer represented in Bray.

She believes that any future plans for a monument to be erected in O’Connor’s honour should be done after consultation with her immediate relatives, who still live in the area.

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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:51 PM

    It’s great news at last, it’s the small businesses that suffer the most and it’s about time the small companies get the help they need, it’s they afterall that form the communities and hold together society, not some multinational that will bugger off when it suits them or when the “deal” is up.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:31 PM

    Great news more small businesses getting loans grown their companies then taking on 2 job bridge slaves to work for them.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:54 PM

    Not a fan of jobsbridge but at least there should be a chance of a business for them to go to, which I’m sure in anyones eyes is a good thing.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:04 PM

    I’d rather sh_te in my hands and clap for eight hours than be a slave for a profitable company big or small.

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    Mute Paul Carey
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:58 PM

    So enlighten us as to what benefit you personally bring to society?

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    The benifits class is alive and well in Eire

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:08 PM

    My god what an irrelevant person

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    Ged Nash will not be elected again I believe, that is what I seem to hear from the Drogheda direction…

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 10:37 PM

    He won’t be

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:17 PM

    Ned Gash is junketing off to Sweden for St Patrick’s Day.
    I sincerely hope that there are some good and caring Irish people in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia etc. who are well aware of what’s going on at home and will come out and demonstrate wherever these wasters show up! Tell your family members and friends abroad, who have been forced to  emigrate by the actions of this so called government, to let these miserable ministers  know how they feel at the St Patrick’s Day parades around the world.

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    Feb 24th 2015, 12:50 AM

    Keep Calm & Crowd Fund….

    I’ve seen it all now

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:56 PM

    I wish you would shit in your hands. I’ve had two jobsbridge candidates who are still employed. Attitudes like your are the reason hard working folk resent social welfare.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:39 PM

    Assif. Get a job.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:23 PM

    Assif, do you need a hug?

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:00 PM

    Assif you tool.

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