So what do we think of the new market attraction?

MyKeyG

I have to say I'm not a big fan of some of the 'rocks' that have sprung up around town in the last few years but I think this is kind of nice. It reminds me of the livestock sales that they use to hold in the market years ago. My parents would bring me and my brother up every Saturday. We thought it was like going to the zoo. In fact for ages I thought they were just there for people to look at.

HOWEVER!!! Don't quote me on this but I noticed mention that it cost somewhere in the region of €70,000. Waste of money???

Clareman

It's a bit too "cartooney" for me to be honest, I would have preferred something to embrace Clare traditional music background or something like that. Saying that I liked Icarus as well, I like it where it is now.

ollaetta

Christ, I'm one unobservant dope!! Walked almost right by this yesterday and didn't see it. From the pic I kinda like it.

babygirlz

I haven't seen it irl but i do like it.

Well done B.W.

pmct

ollaetta wrote: »

Christ, I'm one unobservant dope!! Walked almost right by this yesterday and didn't see it. From the pic I kinda like it.

I think they were put in today I think I saw them on a lorry this morning

finbarrk

I think it's ok. Thanks for the pic.

User Friendly

Before they put the pieces of work on the platform,i noticed the huge chunk missing from the stonework,you can see the missing piece in the picture:rolleyes: if the contractors are responsible for this,then it should be replaced,no excuses.other than that,i like the work.

Poxyshamrock

What used to be on the roundabout before?
I remember seeing some sort of plaque on it the last time I was out in Ennis.

westbuteast

MyKeyG wrote: »

I have to say I'm not a big fan of some of the 'rocks' that have sprung up around town in the last few years but I think this is kind of nice. It reminds me of the livestock sales that they use to hold in the market years ago. My parents would bring me and my brother up every Saturday. We thought it was like going to the zoo. In fact for ages I thought they were just there for people to look at.

HOWEVER!!! Don't quote me on this but I noticed mention that it cost somewhere in the region of €70,000. Waste of money???

It's v nice reminds me of being in paulienes with the grandfather RIP and trying to get up in to the lorry with the pigs outsider the door. Some super memories

User Friendly

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

What used to be on the roundabout before?
I remember seeing some sort of plaque on it the last time I was out in Ennis.

Carazy

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

What used to be on the roundabout before?
I remember seeing some sort of plaque on it the last time I was out in Ennis.

Icarus used to be on this roundabout but it's gone with years. Was moved to the Rocky Road roundabout now outside of the town

Balagan

The cow's good, the two men don't look remotely Irish and the dog's a lion, but it has some charm and is in keeping with the history of the Market. Icarus (or Daedalus, as the sculptor John Behan named it) looks far better in his new location.

Shapey Fiend

I don't really care for any of these sculptures. One thing they do really well in this town is the flower displays and I was quite relieved to see those replace Icarus.

I think the Co. Council would have been better off keeping most of the 70k and maybe invest a couple of grand towards keeping the Ennis Bazaar going instead of having it shut down. You have to wonder why they'd want to get rid of people providing good food and original produce when half the existing market's just people selling cheap hoodies and crappy shoes.

When are they going to restore Daedalus to his original (morning) glory? He's been sitting impotent in the market for 20 years you'd think while they were going to the trouble of transporting him they'd finish the job.

branie

I like it

Diving Board

User Friendly wrote: »

That is without doubt the ugliest statue I have ever seen!

allimac

Love the new sculptures.The old one looks like the Angel of death,scary!:D

CptSternn

So another €100,000 we the tax payer picked up for this?

Balagan

Article in the Champion today with hilarious lengthy quotes from the sculptor about the work. Apparently, the smaller of the men "has small man issues"! http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9339:eternal-market-day&catid=67:human-interest&Itemid=60

CptSternn

Balagan wrote: »

Article in the Champion today with hilarious lengthy quotes from the sculptor about the work. Apparently, the smaller of the men "has small man issues"! http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9339:eternal-market-day&catid=67:human-interest&Itemid=60

Yup, it confirms we paid for it.

Ennis Town Council has provided funding on an annual basis in the local authority budget towards the Ennis Sculpture Initiative.

So was it €100,000 or €70,000 they paid yer man?

CptSternn

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/row-may-cost-town-its-sculpture-164783.html

He was paid 35,000 up till last August. How much did he get since then?

My issue is this - as the tax payers who foot the bill for this 'art', we have no say in what goes in our town. I know a few artists, including sculptures, in Ennis who are quite vocal about how the works that get chosen are selected. A select group of artists with direct ties to the council always have their works selected and then they set some astronomical price and the council pays it to them.

Many of the local artists submit ideas, but yet the same few artists are always chosen. Why is the process not more transparent? Why can't we, the people who ultimately foot the bill, have a say in what they are paying tens of thousands of euros for? I mean, of the other submissions put forward, were any of them less expensive? Were they more appropriate? We will never know because the council doesn't offer up too much information when it comes to these matters. It's all done out of public view and we have no say.

If you ask me, that's €100,000 that could have been better spent elsewhere in our town. I bet the artist is happy though, he spent a year making €100,000 and never left his home. Good work, if you can get in good with the council that is.

Balagan

Of course you have to bear in mind that an in calf cow is worth more!

myrns

Really dont like these, they look out of place on the roundabout, nothing attractive about them but much better than there predecessor (Icarus, who at some at some stages was decorated with underwear from the night before )

MyKeyG

Had a lengthy debate on a Facebook page with the artist where he blatantly claims

tax payers is that where the money came from, do your research.

and when I asked if the money came out of his own pocket

yeah it did mike actually a years labour for nothing , thats a fact, the council didnt pay for it either, a group of twits called the sculpture initiative paid for the stone and moving it , thats it , are you a bit more in touch with things now.

CptSternn

MyKeyG wrote: »

Had a lengthy debate on a Facebook page with the artist where he blatantly claims and when I asked if the money came out of his own pocket

It's even more amazing considering the article above...

The initiative has paid Mr Wrafter €35,000 to date and was due to make a final €5,000 payment in January. However, the payment wasn’t made as Ennis Town Council did not have a base in place for the piece to allow it be mounted as the parties are in dispute over the agreed size of the sculpture.

Mr Wrafter said he has incurred significant storage costs since January and a contribution towards those costs would resolve the dispute. He said it was a last resort to take legal advice on the matter and has sent the Sculpture Initiative two solicitor’s letters.

Mr Crowley said: "This is the first time in the 16 year history of the Sculpture Initiative that we have had something like this.

"The replacement value on all of the sculptures we have put in place through the initiative is in excess of €1 million. It is a signature of Ennis. I’m afraid that Ennis might lose out on this sculpture. It is a shame that it has come to this."

So he got a solicitor, threatened the council with legal action unless he got more money, now claims he did the whole thing for free.

MyKeyG

CptSternn wrote: »

It's even more amazing considering the article above...



So he got a solicitor, threatened the council with legal action unless he got more money, now claims he did the whole thing for free.

He was so adamant and might I add rude and sarcastic to people who suggested it was tax payers money that I almost thought I might have got my story wrong. But having seen the evidence I'm amazed at his neck!!!

maiden

I like what the sculpture depicts but do not like the characters, they should be more life like!

From what I heard, years ago cows were never sold in the market, only calfs and boniffs (whatever they are!) So bit of a boo boo there!

Mr Wrafter should spend his payment wisely because with that attitude he will never be commissioned again, hope he has another day job!

And we could nearly take bets on 'when' the council will be sued for when someone falls off the cow and breaks an arm!

CptSternn

I'm not knocking the system, in fact, I fully support it, but many people are not aware that in Ireland, like many other countries in the EU artists can claim the full dole. It's in support of the artists. They also don't pay any tax on their works unless their total receipts are over a certain amount. Even if he says he did do it 'for free' we the tax payers still paid him weekly to work on it, and that's before you get into the money the council gave him.

Again, I like and fully support the fact our government supports the arts and people who are registered as full time artists are given a government stipend. It's a good system and should not be changed. What I don't like is when someone takes the piss and says they did something for 'free', especially when there are newspaper articles about a civil lawsuit involving tens of thousands they forced the council to pay them.

It just adds insult to injury when you know the whole system is based on who you know on the council and that talented artists in Clare are intentionally being overlooked so a small group of people with certain ties can milk the system.

Balagan

Is there a link available to a statement where the sculptor clearly says he did the sculpting for free, receiving payment only for the stone?

MyKeyG

It was on the http://www.facebook.com/thequeensnightclub page but it appears the thread has been edited especially when I posted the article links. They even kicked me off the page.

Not that it matters, his claims and pithy retorts were seen by plenty of people.

buck65

I wouldn't be too harsh on him, he has done alot of work around town and been shafted a bit by the town councils etc.
Can't blame a fella looking to be paid.

buck65

CptSternn wrote: »

It just adds insult to injury when you know the whole system is based on who you know on the council and that talented artists in Clare are intentionally being overlooked so a small group of people with certain ties can milk the system.

That's ridiculous, Wrafter is a fine artist, and has done work for years around the town.
I think you are overplaying his "ties".
Can't really understand the fuss.