Memorial to Alfie Byrne in Contarf to be decommissioned

A memorial to 10-times lord mayor of Dublin Alfie Byrne is set to be "decommissioned" by Dublin City Council, just 18 months after it was given a reprieve from destruction.

The curved oak bench which faces the sea at the corner of Alfie Byrne Road and the Clontarf promenade was commissioned by the council in 1999 from Andrew St Ledger, who created the wooden figurehead for the Jeanie Johnston replica Famine ship.

The bench featuring two “thrones” was built to commemorate the highly regarded politician, who served as lord mayor 10 times, including nine consecutive years from 1930 to 1939.

However the wood was not maintained and in later years its natural oak surface was covered in thick layers of brown paint by the council, obscuring the engraved inscription detailing the life of Byrne, the son of a Dublin docker who rose to become not only lord mayor but a TD, senator and a Westminster MP.

Vandalism

Following years of neglect and vandalism the memorial had deteriorated to a condition which the council in August 2013 determined was beyond repair. It then proposed the permanent removal of the bench.

Following the intervention of the artist and several councillors and members of the public, the council agreed not to remove the memorial pending a review of options for its restoration.

Public art manager Ruairí Ó Cuív said several options were considered for the restoration or relocation of the bench, but it had been determined that “decommissioning” was the only sensible solution.

“The memorial has been exposed to salt in the air and saltwater from flooding and the condition of the timber has deteriorated to such an extent that it is now a public safety concern. To refurbish it and rebuild it in the same location would be making the same mistake twice.”

‘Very foolish’

The council had obtained a quote of €18,000 from St Ledger for the restoration work, but Mr Ó Cuív said while this was not excessive, there would be continuous maintenance costs.

“We don’t have the staff to do the proper maintenance that would be required to recommission the memorial at the same location so to do so would be very foolish.”

The council had explored moving the piece to another location, but Mr Ó Cuív said it would “not make sense” taken out of the context of the Alfie Byrne Road. The wood has now been removed but is being kept in storage, Mr Ó Cuív said.

St Ledger said he did not believe the council had ever intended to keep the bench.

“I think they were just playing a drawn-out game without any real intention of finding a resolution.”

The restoration of the work in the docklands area would have been a viable solution, he said. “To commission a piece and then neglect and abandon it is dishonourable, not so much to me, but to the memory of Alfie Byrne.”

City councillors will be asked to ratify the decision next month.