Worst public art in Ireland

Muahahaha

What do people think is the worst public art in Ireland ?

For me it has to be this monstrosity which is found on the M7 Dublin to Cork road, just at the junction for Naas.
http://http://www.kildare.ie/ArtsService/media/Media,21165,en.jpg

I really pity the people of Naas having to live near that thing. I think it would be even worse for those who commute by car to Dublin every day. After a long hard days work they get in the car and spend the best part of 40 minutes grinding gears and brakes, going bumper to bumper just to get to the Red Cow roundabout. Then there's gonna be a traffic jam because of Newlands Cross roadworks, you battle through that but it's still another 15 miles till you're home, more than an hour after you left. Then when it is finally time to peel off the motorway what welcomes you after an hour of commuter hell and rush hour traffic ? A big feckin ball with road markings all over it. Talk about trying to piss people off, what on earth were the 'artists' thinking of ?

Any better examples ?

ArtyC

The ****ing Spire

fleet_admiral

ArtyC wrote: »

The ****ing Spire

I like the spire

Robbo

Any of those "make the urchins do a graffiti" schemes where the "marginalised" are "empowered to foster community spirit" and placate some middle class guilt. For 20 minutes until one of their mates tags a cock'n'balls motif over it, restoring the balance of nature.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Most roadside art on the motorways is a bit

I do like the sculptures of the bull and the 'strongman' on either side of the Nenagh bypass though.

WoollyRedHat

That maroon looking yoke in Dun Laoghaire, it's a heap of ****e, matter of fact a polished turd would look better there.

Say what you want about Queen Victoria, but the chick had style, that art opposite the way in tribute to her visit is much nicer.

Here it is, contemporary art, what a load of crap:

That naked sculpture guy on the way to Centra in the UCD Campus is trying way too hard too.

Troy Lumberjack

Dunno about the worst, but I love the herd of deer beside junction 30 on the M7 near Limerick. Verr good.

dpofloinn

There are 2 monstrosities on the motorway between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Ennis and I really hope that they didnt cost money.One near Ennis looks like an off cut from a coil of wire that fell off a lorry and was just left up on the bank just to get it of the road, the second one near Newmarket looks like someone was melting some metal and made a balls of it so just dumped it at the side of the road it has a tree growing up in the middle of it now ffs

Lapin

The empty bottle of Buckfast that was installed on a windowsill of one of the flats opposite Galway Railway station 6 months ago is beginning to show signs of wear and tear already.

Needs polishing.



Again.

Sir Arthur Daley

Troy Lumberjack wrote: »

Dunno about the worst, but I love the herd of deer beside junction 30 on the M7 near Limerick. Verr good.

All thanks to fenton.

Zaph

Those miserable looking famine statues on the quay in front of the Custom House. Awful looking yokes, but there always seems to be an endless steam of tourists taking their photos with them. Some of the junk on the side of the Dublin-Cork road is pretty awful too.

Shane.C

NUI Galway haven't a notion.

fleet_admiral

Shane.C wrote: »

NUI Galway haven't a notion.

someone playing blockbusters while on acid?

ballsymchugh

this excellent piece of public art is probably gone by now. it was somewhere along the red luas line near the four courts

http://backontherock.com/2011/07/26/free-palestine/

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Muahahaha wrote: »

What do people think is the worst public art in Ireland ?

For me it has to be this monstrosity which is found on the M7 Dublin to Cork road, just at the junction for Naas.
http://http://www.kildare.ie/ArtsService/media/Media,21165,en.jpg

I really pity the people of Naas having to live near that thing. I think it would be even worse for those who commute by car to Dublin every day. After a long hard days work they get in the car and spend the best part of 40 minutes grinding gears and brakes, going bumper to bumper just to get to the Red Cow roundabout. Then there's gonna be a traffic jam because of Newlands Cross roadworks, you battle through that but it's still another 15 miles till you're home, more than an hour after you left. Then when it is finally time to peel off the motorway what welcomes you after an hour of commuter hell and rush hour traffic ? A big feckin ball with road markings all over it. Talk about trying to piss people off, what on earth were the 'artists' thinking of ?

Any better examples ?

With a considise and constructive argument like that, why are you not writing the artscolumn for the Sunday Independent? I mean - this is AH! You're ****ign wasted in here...

dpofloinn

Shane.C wrote: »

NUI Galway haven't a notion.

At least its somewhat usefull. Generations of students have used the BYT as a meeting point as there is no mistaking it, unlike the random crap that is strewn across the countrys roads if it wasnt called ''ART'' it would be considered fly tipping

fleet_admiral

there is some stegosaurus rusted type thing on the road between Gorey and Arklow (I think). it freaks me out every time I go by

cactuspaw

There's 2 bits of metal before the toal bridge on the main Galway Dublin motorway, near Enfeild.
They annoy me every time I pass. Look like 2 pineapple rings ether side of the road.

debabyjesus

The worst has to be that stupid arrangement of white spikes and colour things on an embankment of the M7 around Kildare I think. It starts off with one white spike the multiplies and ends with one white spike.

It looks like rubbish strewn on the embankment until you realise it has some sort of pattern. I wonder how much it cost.

I like the naas ball fwiw. The man and bull at nenagh is great. The arch on the roscrea bypass is cool but easily missed, possibly the worst placed road art from the ones I've seen.

Lapin

Ah, where would we be without the BYT?

There's a thing on the wall just inside the door of the concourse on the left explaining what it's all about.

I read it once but I'm still none the wiser.

All I remember is that it's been there since the 1970s which did surprise me.

Chorcai

So people want fancy Art on the motorways so drivers will be distracted because of it and crash, good logic there lads.

Yamanoto

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Say what you want about Queen Victoria, but the chick had style, that art opposite the way in tribute to her visit is much nicer.

Here it is, contemporary art, what a load of crap:

The Shinners actually took exception to the restoration of that dainty gazebo opposite, describing it as 'inappropriate, unnecessary and offensive'.

They even held a picket ffs.

http://republican-news.org/archive/2003/May15/15dunl.html

WoollyRedHat

Yamanoto wrote: »

The Shinners actually took exception to the restoration of that dainty gazebo opposite, describing it as 'inappropriate, unnecessary and offensive'.

They even held a picket ffs.

http://republican-news.org/archive/2003/May15/15dunl.html

They might as well protest against all the Victorian buildings while they're at it.

orangesoda

The Hugh O'Donnell monument

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Gaelic_Chieftain.jpg

The God of the sea statue in Co.Derry is epic though

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2889/9128494279_da69ef798c.jpg

_Redzer_

Shane.C wrote: »

NUI Galway haven't a notion.

I like that. I pretty much walk by it everyday and I'm still not bothered by it.

People think art has to be something identifiable for it to be "good", which completely misses the point of art.

Sir Arthur Daley

Chorcai wrote: »

So people want fancy Art on the motorways so drivers will be distracted because of it and crash, good logic there lads.

Having shiit art is equally if not more distracting.

Charlie19

The shyte thats set in hills after the toll on the M4 heading for Galway.

Just random circles, pointless dirt all together.

Muahahaha

Here's a piece of motorway art in the uk. It's not for everyone but at least you can say it makes an impact
http://clicks.robertgenn.com/sins.php

jill_valentine

I used to work in an office in Park West where I had a fine view of Sisyphus.

What kind of bastard makes office workers look at something like that all day.

http://www.orladebri.ie/works/public-works/medium/orla-de-bri-the-bastard-son-of-sisyphus-public-works-3.jpg

CrabRevolution

There's a nice monument on the N3/M3 just after the border between Meath and Dublin. Shows a man opening a gate and beckoning to the cars travelling in the Meath direction toward him.

I like to think of it as Meath's Statue of Liberty, welcoming the tired, huddled masses coming from Dublin, yearning to breathe free.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

The disgusting multicolour statue of an accordion at Ballindine, Co Mayo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Ballindineaccordion.JPG

dee_mc

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

The disgusting multicolour statue of an accordion at Ballindine, Co Mayo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Ballindineaccordion.JPG

Officially the most offensive piece of 'art' I've ever seen - I actually hate passing it!

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

The locals hate it too. They campaigned to have it removed but only succeeded in having it moved from the centre of town to further down the road.

Adyx

The bus stop with sails in Red Square in Waterford is pretty bad, although maybe it's not supposed to be art. The giant penis-fountain across from it wasn't a great idea either.

Oryx

fleet_admiral wrote: »

there is some stegosaurus rusted type thing on the road between Gorey and Arklow (I think). it freaks me out every time I go by

Thats a hedgehog! The only one to ever survive on that road.

Irish Guitarist

There's a sculpture in Carlow that's supposed to be two kings thrones but looks like a pair of boots. The only picture I can find of it on the internet is one that for some reason was posted sideways so you'll have to turn your head to look at it. http://www.carlowtourism.net/index.php?module=media&pId=102&id=1480&category=gallery/Towns/Leighlinbridge&start=0

Then there's the Liberty Tree, also in Carlow. I remember years ago when they cut down an actual tree and replaced it with a metal monstrosity and a fountain. If you look at it up close you'll see all these weird skeletons underneath a tree that resembles something you might see in a Tim Burton animated film. It's an eyesore. http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/secondary-students/history/1798%20Rebellion%20in%20Ireland/1798-in-carlow/bicentenary-of-1798-the-l/

I found another picture of the 'boots'. http://www.inmagine.com/irishimages-004/ptg02841811-photo

conorhal

Zaph wrote: »

Those miserable looking famine statues on the quay in front of the Custom House. Awful looking yokes, but there always seems to be an endless steam of tourists taking their photos with them. Some of the junk on the side of the Dublin-Cork road is pretty awful too.

Ah now, personally I find the famine memorial to be deeply effecting and quite haunting. I thinks it's one of the best peices of public art that's been produced in the area, as is the 'The Linesman'

The worst in the area have got to be 'Universal Links on Human Rights' which is as ugly as a human rights violation and the Matt Talbot statue which is just banal.

All mentioned can be seen below:

http://www.ddda.ie/index.jsp?p=112&n=671

conorhal

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

The disgusting multicolour statue of an accordion at Ballindine, Co Mayo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Ballindineaccordion.JPG

Kids daycare drawing of a dinosaur?

I suspect that if 'certian members of a cultural minority' were to steal it for scrap in the night, noboboy would complain, they might in fact send a thank you note!

mallards

They put this monstrosity in near home a couple of years ago. At a cost of 70 grand sterling! The bulk of it is supposed to represent the surrounding mountains and the hoop around the top, the stone circles that are in the area!
Yeah I can see the resemblance!
http://www.rmgreenkeepers.com/ctownroundabout.html#

whisky_galore

This pointless piece of crap in the Lee Fields. Wouldn't mind if there was some sort of dinosaur/Loch Ness monster connection with the locality, but there isn't.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/74/169200807_8487ca8e0c_z.jpg

Dis-honorable mention, horses sniffing mens' bottoms at Mallow.

http://www.corkcoco.ie/graphics/Michael_Quane_MallowLarge.jpg

Aglomerado

Shane.C wrote: »

NUI Galway haven't a notion.

Archimedes' Balls!

Aglomerado

jill_valentine wrote: »

I used to work in an office in Park West where I had a fine view of Sisyphus.

What kind of bastard makes office workers look at something like that all day.

http://www.orladebri.ie/works/public-works/medium/orla-de-bri-the-bastard-son-of-sisyphus-public-works-3.jpg

Office work is a bit Sisyphean though. :pac:

o1s1n

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

The disgusting multicolour statue of an accordion at Ballindine, Co Mayo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Ballindineaccordion.JPG

Christ that's hideous!

homemadecider

The embroidery portrait of Mary Robinson.

Who am I kidding, its amazing.

jack of all

Muahahaha wrote: »

What do people think is the worst public art in Ireland ?

For me it has to be this monstrosity which is found on the M7 Dublin to Cork road, just at the junction for Naas.
http://http://www.kildare.ie/ArtsService/media/Media,21165,en.jpg

I really pity the people of Naas having to live near that thing.

I think it's pretty awful myself but at least when I am travelling with my children I can refer to it as the "Giant's Football", which gives them a laugh and it is a marker off sorts!

o1s1n

homemadecider wrote: »

The embroidery portrait of Mary Robinson.

Who am I kidding, its amazing.

Anyone know where that is now? National treasure so it is.

whisky_galore

The Danu sculpture that was purloined for its metal content...looked like a well endowed Pippi Longstocking.

http://f1.thejournal.ie/media/2012/08/danu-sculpture-630x472.jpg

There is was a little bronze tree erected on the embankment of the N15 between Bundoran and Ballyshannon. Totally unnecessary waste of €63K as there were also real trees planted along the route which are well established now. The road has a 100kmh limit so it really serves no purpose at all.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@54.486945,-8.222895,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLD_Ze_u3IcINgaV_2jGSjg!2e0

I said was as someone cut off all the valuable metal branches!

Turtyturd

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

There's a sculpture in Carlow that's supposed to be two kings thrones but looks like a pair of boots. The only picture I can find of it on the internet is one that for some reason was posted sideways so you'll have to turn your head to look at it. http://www.carlowtourism.net/index.php?module=media&pId=102&id=1480&category=gallery/Towns/Leighlinbridge&start=0

Then there's the Liberty Tree, also in Carlow. I remember years ago when they cut down an actual tree and replaced it with a metal monstrosity and a fountain. If you look at it up close you'll see all these weird skeletons underneath a tree that resembles something you might see in a Tim Burton animated film. It's an eyesore.


I found another picture of the 'boots'. http://www.inmagine.com/irishimages-004/ptg02841811-photo

First one that came to mind for me. Always reminds me of the bottom half of a Lego figure.

Others include the eternal flame statue across from Bus Aras which I convinced my OH was a prop from atlasspheres in the Irish version of Gladiators. And the multicolored UFO's at Kingswood on the N7.

Oryx

I love these guys. Not sure of the road, near Tullamore, Offaly.

http://www.meg.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Screen-Shot-2012-01-24-at-14.18-e1327414837255.jpg

pauliebdub

That one near Naas which the ball and the road markings is actually quite nice, the one further out on the M7 near Kildare is horrific and belongs in a childrens playground.

"Race of the Black Pig" by Dan George

http://kildare.ie/arts/kildare-bypass-sculpture/race-of-the-black-pig.asp