* Photo by Natasha Barton
A conservation report will be prepared ahead of any potential facelift of the DeValera monument in Ennis, a meeting has heard.
At the January meeting of the Ennis Municipal District (MD), councillors backed a call for maintenance and cleaning of the monument.
Among those lending his support to the proposed project was Fine Gael councillor Paul Murphy, a relative of candidate defeated by Eamon De Valera in the 1917 Clare by-election.
“It is a part of our public realm”, Cllr Murphy said, “Cllr Flynn mentioned the 1917 Clare by-election. On a point of interest, the candidate that DeValera defeated was my great grand-uncle, Paddy Lynch. It just shows there are no sour grapes and I’ll be supporting DeValera on this one!”
In a motion to the meeting, councillor Clare Colleran-Molloy (FF) asked that the DeValera Monument be examined for maintenance and cleaning and that the works be undertaken as soon as possible.
Cllr Colleran Molloy told the meeting the DeValera monument is a “symbol of our history and our culture”.
She continued, “We should be very proud that we have sustained the democracy established in this Republic over a century ago. We know that in times of war, and we know what is going on in Ukraine and you look at the importance of symbolism there. You look at what is going in Odessa, in Kiev and the protection of symbols there. They were literally sandbagging symbols in Odessa and other cities. It’s important my we have the DeValera monument and other symbols like this”.
In reply to Cllr Colleran Molloy’s motion, Paddy Tiernan, A/Senior Executive Engineer, stated, “The Council agrees to obtain a conservation report for the monument in the new year so that costs can be determined. Thereafter, a source of funding will need be secured to undertake any works”.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the meeting that the election of DeValera in 1917 to represent Clare was a “monumental result of our fight for independence”.
He said, “We’ve had such a successful stable society and country since then. We’re probably one of the few post colonial countries to have such a length of peace. Eamon DeValera played a very important part in that and the Clare people played a very important part in that”.
Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said, “I think it is important we embrace all of of our history and not be exclusive
Cllr Ann Norton (Ind) said symbols like the DeValera monuments will be important for future generations.
“It is part of our town. It is part of our culture. It is so important that structures like this are maintained because that it is the history of Clare and the history of Ireland. We want the next generation to ask questions, to be informed and if these statues are there the younger generation will ask questions. I think it is hugely important that everything is maintained irrespective of politics”, she said.
