Two more sculptures to join striking new art works in Carrick-on-Suir's Castle Park

A striking wooden sculpture depicting two mythological griffin creatures and two seats carved from felled trees are new additions to Carrick-on-Suir’s Castle Park that are creating quite a stir among the town’s people.

They are the first three of five public art works created by Holycross based sculptor Philip Quinn being installed in the park next to Ormond Castle as part of the €17.8m Carrick Regeneration Scheme.

Tipperary County Council is required to devote 1% of the Rural Regeneration Development Fund grant allocated for the Carrick Regeneration Scheme, up to a maximum of €125,000, on public art commissions.

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Administrator Marie Cox said the Council has received very positive public feedback to the new art works, which were erected in Castle Park on August 14.

“There has been such good interaction across social media about them. It has been a really good news story for the park,” she said.

Philip Quinn featured griffins in his sculpture because a griffin forms part of the family crest of the Butlers of Ormond, who owned Ormond Castle. Carrick-on-Suir was also originally named Carraig Mac Griffin after the town’s first Norman landowner, Matthew Fitzgriffin.

Ms Cox said local children scared of the griffins when they see them in the park are being told they are Gruffalos, the character from the popular Julia Donaldson children’s books.

The park’s new chaise longue style seat art works, meanwhile, were made from the wood of two sycamore trees removed from Castle Street.

Ms Cox said the final two sculptures Philip Quinn is working on for Castle Park are being crafted from cypress wood and will be very impressive at 2.5m and 3m in height. Their subject is being kept under wraps until their installation.

“The sculptures will be a surprise. We are hoping they will be completed and installed in September.”

Castle Park has been undergoing a major facelift as part of the Regeneration Scheme’s first phase over the past few months and is expected to be completed by October.

Ms Cox said more art works are to be commissioned for the town as part of the Council’s obligation to spend 1% of the RRDF allocation it has received for the Carrick Regeneration Scheme.

The Council will be engaging in public consultation with local people and organisations about the type of art works they want to see created for their town.

Caption for picture below: Willie Hartery, Ballyneale standing beside one of the new carved chaise longue seats in Castle Park. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian