everest monument in market square

oranbhoy67

Just noticed this monument today..

its nice enough i suppose,but i think its a bit out of place & also i was just wondering who paid for it & if the local council paid for it then what it cost??

& also anyones general opinions on it??

alchemist33

Haven't seen it. Why's it there?

oranbhoy67

Because local buisnessman Jason Black (owner of voodoo) recently became the first Donegal man to climb Mt Everest .. trying to find a link but all i can find is from the website thats banned on here

alchemist33

Couldn't find it on one site I know is banned! Maybe there's more than one

It's great he got to the top of Everest, but it certainly isn't something I'd like to see public money spent on commemorating.

Edit: I see mention of the sculpture on June 30th but nothing about cost etc

oranbhoy67

http://www.donegalnow.com/sp/article_manager/detail/300_climb_mt_errigal_with_jason_black


From this site it suggests that the local council did indeed pay for it which tbh i think is wrong in this economic climate , especailly as the ascent ( as brave as it was) was done for personal gain & not for any charity for example... i wonder is their any way we can officialy find out how much this monument cost?

Also according to this article there was another plaque unveiled at the foot of Mt Errigal commerating the climb

Lassie73

Just in reply to the monument placed in celebration of Jason Black's climb to Mount Everest...I am astounded that tax payers had to contribute to this ....I wouldn't mind if he did it for Charity, then I would be happy to glorify his achievement, such a waste of money. Harsh...but that is my tuppence worth!

Neeson

Why is the donegal daily site banned on here?

muffler

Neeson wrote: »

Why is the donegal daily site banned on here?

We have standards here and they just dont measure up.

Thats all Im saying on it in public as we are off topic here.

Neeson

muffler wrote: »

We have standards here and they just dont measure up.

Thats all Im saying on it in public as we are off topic here.

Can I PM you about it?

muffler

Neeson wrote: »

Can I PM you about it?

Yeah, sure. Im off out for a while so it may be later this evening before I reply

retalivity

he climbed it what...a few months ago, and already there are 2 publicly funded plaques/momuments up about it already?

Just when you think DCC couldnt be more of a joke they go and prove me wrong. well played.

Also OT, one of the positives of living abroad means I can no longer be subjected to the drivel from that-which-shall-not-be-named....bliss!

Neeson

retalivity wrote: »

Also OT, one of the positives of living abroad means I can no longer be objected to the drivel from that-which-shall-not-be-named....bliss!

The website?

danniemcq

Neeson wrote: »

The website?

its behind a paywall if you don't have an Irish IP address.

And that is the final say in the matter, no more questions about it, no more dragging the thread off topic. Neeson this isn't just aimed at you but everyone.

echo beach

retalivity wrote: »

he climbed it what...a few months ago, and already there are 2 publicly funded plaques/momuments up about it already?

Just when you think DCC couldnt be more of a joke they go and prove me wrong. well played.

I think it was erected by the soon to be abolished Letterkenny Town Council rather than the County Council. They may well be spending money in the town while they still can.

oranbhoy67

Surely it must have been the County Council that commisioned the plaque at the bottom of Errigal tho??

Maldesu

If its only a plaque I don't see what the issue is. Now, if they were putting up a full size statue of him that'd be a different story. Haven't see it yet, but must try get a look if I'm down that way later on.

Neeson

Maldesu wrote: »

If its only a plaque I don't see what the issue is. Now, if they were putting up a full size statue of him that'd be a different story. Haven't see it yet, but must try get a look if I'm down that way later on.

A statue would have been a great idea. I'd love it. If there is a free roundabout they should put him on it.

oranbhoy67

Maldesu wrote: »

If its only a plaque I don't see what the issue is. Now, if they were putting up a full size statue of him that'd be a different story. Haven't see it yet, but must try get a look if I'm down that way later on.

well its neither a statue nor a plaque in the market square.. its a monument shaped like the side of a mountain with a small scale climber climbing up the side & a quote from the man himself on the front.. that is the best way i can describe it... and its a plaque at the bottom of errigal as far as i know ...

Madam

What size is it and whereabouts in the square is it?

Oh and is it 'in the best possible taste'?:)

Neeson

Madam wrote: »

What size is it and whereabouts in the square is it?

Oh and is it 'in the best possible taste'?:)

Beside one of the chairs I think.

oranbhoy67

just out of shot is the wee mountain climber on the side climbing the peak all alone

oranbhoy67

better pic

Madam

Nice - kind of unobtrusive.

I'll be sure to have a wee gander down to see it the next time I'm over:)

Neeson

"Honouring" is written in the American Style.

retalivity

piss up, brewery, etc.

Maldesu

It's not awful but it'll get snapped in two in no time.

danniemcq

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

better pic

Looking well oranbhoy!

oranbhoy67

danniemcq wrote: »

Looking well oranbhoy!

well all that fresh air in nepal did wonders for my complexion :P

Lassie73

I climbed errigal last week,must let the council know:P

implausible

Neeson wrote: »

"Honouring" is written in the American Style.

Spelt wrong in other words!


Free publicity for a local businessman and work for a local sculptor - all paid for by DCC.

While it's a great achievement, I wonder if they would have bothered if he wasn't a popular businessman in the town and I certainly object to public money being spent in this way when the aforementioned businessman could probably well afford to at least contribute to its cost.

oranbhoy67

this is the thing, it is a big achievment , but its one which costs a lot of money to achieve

ie the average man in the street wouldnt be able to do it unless he found a lot of funding from somewhere...

also as said before i think that this monument wouldve been more appropiate had he took some sort of sponsorship to raise cash for charity whilst doing it , but again thats a private choice..

All in all personally it just doesnt sit right with me, it wouldnt be half as bad if there wasnt so much stuff badly needing done by the council.. and as i said id love to be able to find out how much these two commerative items cost us!

echo beach

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

this is the thing, it is a big achievment , but its one which costs a lot of money to achieve

He spent his own money. He didn't ask others to pay his expenses and then give what is leftover to charity as often happens.

Anybody who has ever done anything for charity, say a 5k run, knows that it takes a lot more effort to raise the money than do the event. Also clinbing is a dangerous activity. No sponsor would want to be associated with a death or serious injury.

oranbhoy67

echo beach wrote: »

He spent his own money. He didn't ask others to pay his expenses and then give what is leftover to charity as often happens.

Anybody who has ever done anything for charity, say a 5k run, knows that it takes a lot more effort to raise the money than do the event. Also clinbing is a dangerous activity. No sponsor would want to be associated with a death or serious injury.

couldnt he have paid it as he did anyway, sponsor himself with voodoo as he did anyway, & ask the public to sponsor him for a charity if he made it .. i know i would have certainly done so for a good cause

alchemist33

echo beach wrote: »

He spent his own money. He didn't ask others to pay his expenses and then give what is leftover to charity as often happens.

Anybody who has ever done anything for charity, say a 5k run, knows that it takes a lot more effort to raise the money than do the event. Also clinbing is a dangerous activity. No sponsor would want to be associated with a death or serious injury.

Indeed. He spent his money and had an adventure. A fine acievement for him but I find the monument, quote and all, very cringeworthy.

Climbing Everest isnt the gentleman's adventure it used to be, but a well-oiled commercial enterprise.

solas111

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

Just noticed this monument today..

its nice enough i suppose,but i think its a bit out of place & also i was just wondering who paid for it & if the local council paid for it then what it cost??

& also anyones general opinions on it??

Haven’t seen the monument and I have never met the climber but I think it’s a great idea. People have been honoured in various ways down through history, sometimes for great achievements and often for more dubious activities but very few object to such tributes, even when they are publicly funded.

We are a nation of begrudgers but life is too short for begrudgery. No doubt Jason Black is not any more perfect than most and his reasons for carrying out the great endeavour may be far from charitable but I say, fair play to the man and to those who decided to add an interesting feature to the Market Square.

Klim

alchemist33 wrote: »

Indeed. He spent his money and had an adventure. A fine acievement for him but I find the monument, quote and all, very cringeworthy.

Climbing Everest isnt the gentleman's adventure it used to be, but a well-oiled commercial enterprise.

Think that's very harsh. Fact is, one out of every twenty die doing it. It's not like he's doing a sponsored walk, it's a massive achievement with very real risks involved. Whether the plaque is vain is fair enough, but to question what he did is pretty petty.

I'm sure there's plenty of other ventures you could try for commercial enterprise. And it's not as if the man was struggling in that regard by the looks of things.

cosanostra

It's handy having a brother in law thats the mayor i suppose

alchemist33

Klim wrote: »

Think that's very harsh. Fact is, one out of every twenty die doing it. It's not like he's doing a sponsored walk, it's a massive achievement with very real risks involved. Whether the plaque is vain is fair enough, but to question what he did is pretty petty.

I'm sure there's plenty of other ventures you could try for commercial enterprise. And it's not as if the man was struggling in that regard by the looks of things.

I'm not questioning what he did at all. I'm questioning why there's a bandwagon to laud it with public money.

Or to put it another way, it's not him; it's the council I'm having a goat.

Neeson

It's all about who you are and who you know.

Imagine if Jim McGlynn climbed Mt. Everest. And when he did it his cousin wasn't Mayor. Would he get any recognition? I doubt it. I definitely doubt he'd be getting any sort of statue.

Maldesu

Neeson wrote: »

It's all about who you are and who you know.

Imagine if Jim McGlynn climbed Mt. Everest. And when he did it his cousin wasn't Mayor. Would he get any recognition? I doubt it. I definitely doubt he'd be getting any sort of statue.

He'd probably get in the paper at least. But Jim McGlynn doesn't have a business in town that employs people, brings in large acts to the town and helps attract visitors who spend money locally. Giving him a monument will keep him happy and happy businessmen will keep their businesses in town. Maybe they could have done something else or spent the money elsewhere, but its likely that none of us would ever see it.

Neeson

I don't think they'd need to give him a piece to keep him happy though. He got his homecoming. It was limeballs who played his part in this.

Maldesu

Neeson wrote: »

I don't think they'd need to give him a piece to keep him happy though. He got his homecoming. It was limeballs who played his part in this.

You don't think that, but if you were walking around the town and had your name placed in the market square for climbing Everest you'd probably enjoy the feeling. Simple enough thing has long term effect, though I doubt that was their intention.