The Richard Harris Statue

zuroph

So, for a new years Resolution, can we get this horrendous "tribute" sorted out.

Besides the varying opinions on casting a 5 foot burger king to honour the great man, the plaques underneath are a disgrace. It is like they were never proof-read. They were written by someone who clearly does not understand how a comma is used, sentences are broken up mid flow for no apparent reason.

Now, while the council are hardly going to be talked into taking the whole thing down and replacing it, or even moving it, surely the least we can do it get them to sort out the plaques and the terrible terrible grammar.

If I had my way, it would be replaced by an 8-10 foot tall Dumbledore, complete with glowing wand. at least that would be a tourist attraction for the city!

zuroph

Oh Lazers, why did you have to announce your return so publically, you won't be with us for much longer. and for this I am sad.

Gneez

where is this statue?

CCSL

zuroph

King Limerick, who famously defeated the English in 1916 with the wrong end of a sword.

krudler

Awful,awful,awful statue, its actually an embarassment to the city, first they commision someone whos clearly never seen a picture of Richard Harris,who creates a generic, guy with beard statue that looks nothing like the man. Then they pick a character who he's not even well know for, surely Dumbledore, or even Caesar from Gladiator would have been more well known, the Bull McCabe?anything other than the one thats there at the moment.

JerryHandbag

LOL it does look like the Burger King now I think of it.

Really should be a statue of the Bull McCabe.

source

Or better still, a statue of Richard Harris and not a character he portrayed.

phill106

Never noticed how much he looked like the burger king!

CiaranMT

To be fair, it does look like him in 'Camelot'.

It's far too small though, and should have been placed more centrally.

kilburn

junction of Bedford Row and O'Connel Street can you get more central?

RonMexico

Awful awful statue. It should be replaced. The Dumbledore idea sounds great. Not a Harry Potter fan but given the insane popularity of the series then it makes sense as a tourist attraction.

The_Dave

JerryHandbag wrote: »

Really should be a statue of the Bull McCabe.

Wouldn't everyone then be on here complaining about them having a statue of a Kerry character in Limerick:o

kilburn

Think the dumbledore idea from a tourism perspective is a great idea.

Move Burger King to the doorway of King Johns or the doorway of Burger King.:p

Clareman

Tie it into the Cliff of Moher which was in 1 of the movies as well and you could have a great tourism idea

Clareman

And before he was a swordsman he was a racquet man

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45755268@N00/1253060181/in/photostream/

JerryHandbag

The_Dave wrote: »

Wouldn't everyone then be on here complaining about them having a statue of a Kerry character in Limerick:o

Bull McCabe was from Mayo I thought? Based on a Kerry farmer alright though.

Cpt_Blackbeard

I always thought it was the Burger King attacking Supermacs. It just made sense to me that way..

CiaranMT

kilburn wrote: »

junction of Bedford Row and O'Connel Street can you get more central?

I meant it's positioning on Bedford Row. It's off to the side towards B.O.I. there, kinda awkwardly leaning against the ATM. Shoulda been placed dead centre.

fryup

krudler wrote: »

Awful,awful,awful statue, its actually an embarassment to the city, first they commision someone whos clearly never seen a picture of Richard Harris,who creates a generic, guy with beard statue that looks nothing like the man. Then they pick a character who he's not even well know for, surely Dumbledore, or even Caesar from Gladiator would have been more well known, the Bull McCabe?anything other than the one thats there at the moment.

spot on, it is an awful statue.. for the simple reason it doesn't look like him

well at least they didn't have him as Cromwell:cool:

SarahBeep!

It's been useful though.... many a drunken picture has been taken with King Limerick.

v300

That statue is as bad as Phil Lynotts in Dubland is good.

It's that bad.

GodlessM

v300 wrote: »

That statue is as bad as Phil Lynotts in Dubland is good.

It's that bad.

Well the Phil Lynott one was good when it had a tie and bass strings.

donutheadhomer

i always though he was tall - is this statue life size?

also what is that woman statue on cruises st supposed to be doing?

zuroph

EurasianBadger wrote: »

i always though he was tall - is this statue life size?

also what is that woman statue on cruises st supposed to be doing?

Its far from life size..

The woman on cruises st is playing a tambourine, its A nod to our twinned town of quimper.

mathepac

I hope I don't get killed for resurrecting this thread, but I wanted to comment after seeing the statue for the first time yesterday.

It is a disgrace. It bears not the slightest resemblance to the man. I knew him fairly well during the 1970's. After meeting accidentally after a match in Dublin, we kept in touch during the season and met for most of Ireland's matches and their aftermaths for 5 or 6 years. :rolleyes:

I agree with every word expressed so far here. In as much as the statue itself looks nothing like the man I knew, the inscribed plaques on the pedestal haven't even a remote connection with the language Harris loved.

This abomination on Bedford Row isn't a memorial, it's an insult to a great Limerick-man and to the people of Limerick.

In my view the best and most fitting representation of Harris in his prime would have been as his portrayal of Frank Mechin in 'This sporting Life', but instead we got a mini Burger King and pidgin English. For shame.

zuroph

40ft dumbledore statue. the only way.

Kess73

mathepac wrote: »

I hope I don't get killed for resurrecting this thread, but I wanted to comment after seeing the statue for the first time yesterday.

It is a disgrace. It bears not the slightest resemblance to the man. I knew him fairly well during the 1970's. After meeting accidentally after a match in Dublin, we kept in touch during the season and met for most of Ireland's matches and their aftermaths for 5 or 6 years. :rolleyes:

I agree with every word expressed so far here. In as much as the statue itself looks nothing like the man I knew, the inscribed plaques on the pedestal haven't even a remote connection with the language Harris loved.

This abomination on Bedford Row isn't a memorial, it's an insult to a great Limerick-man and to the people of Limerick.

In my view the best and most fitting representation of Harris in his prime would have been as his portrayal of Frank Mechin in 'This sporting Life', but instead we got a mini Burger King and pidgin English. For shame.

That is the exact role that I was going to say they should have used.

It would be perfect. A younger and healthy Richard Harris complete with rugby ball. Given the man's real life love of rugby it would have been a fitting tribute.

Jofspring

Surely something can be done to actually get the statue changed, it's ridiculous.

At least the Dumbledore statue would have people genuinely wanting pictures with it.

Hermione*

zuroph wrote: »

If I had my way, it would be replaced by an 8-10 foot tall Dumbledore, complete with glowing wand. at least that would be a tourist attraction for the city!

I LOVE this idea! Lots Especially as I really hate the statue. I agree with all of krudler's critique of it. It's just awful, a really poor tribute to a Limerick legend imo.
A rugby-playing Harris would also be a good representation. It'd be true to the man, and could be good for tourism, too.

Pikasso

I always found it interesting that the statue bears more of a resemblance to the person who sculpted it (Jim Connolly) than the subject matter!!