Marble bust of Terence MacSwiney presented to Cork Public Museum
A marble bust of former Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney has been presented to the Cork Public Museum.
It is one of two pieces of hugely significant artefacts relating to the War of Independence handed over today, with a Cork Republican Silver loving cup also presented to the city.
They were presented to Lord Mayor, Cllr Mick Finn and will join the permanent collection in Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald's Park.
The Terence MacSwiney bust, sculpted by renowned Irish sculptor Albert Power, was donated to the city by the family of Cork’s first female Lord Mayor, Jane Dowdall.
A poignant and breath-taking link with our city’s history and march to nationhood...the death mask of Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney...presented to the city today by members of the Dowdall family (Jenny Dowdall being the first ever female Lord Mayor, 60 years ago). pic.twitter.com/attt1zhMKY
— Mick Finn (@mickfinn01) February 21, 2019
Deborah Dowdall, her granddaughter was at City Hall for the formal handover. Power sculpted the bust from a death mask he had made of MacSwiney’s face, after his death on October 25, 1920, following 74 days of hunger strike in Brixton Prison.
The bust is a very unique and important piece, as for many, this portrait captures the serenity and acceptance MacSwiney had about his death.
The second piece is a Republican silver Loving Cup, made by William Egan of Cork. There are only about 60-80 pieces of Cork Republican Silver known to exist so this is a particularly important acquisition for the museum.
Some local legends, and members of the ‘Bun Gang’ in City Hall tonight. Great interest in artefacts brought in by Dan Breen (Cork Public Museum)...pillow on which Terence MacSwiney died in Brixton Prison and Tomás MacCurtain’s luger. Living history. pic.twitter.com/9xcWPB78Gl
— Mick Finn (@mickfinn01) February 20, 2019
During the War of Independence and Civil War, it was not safe to send silver produced in Cork to Dublin to be assayed to determine its silver content and quality. Instead, Cork silver makers stamped their own silver with a hallmark of a ship between two towers - as depicted on the Cork Coat of Arms.
This object was purchased using funding from Creative Ireland. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Mick Finn said: "These two artefacts are hugely significant links to the history of Cork and the birth of a nation which will come more and more into focus as the decade of centenaries start to centre on the War of Independence and Civil War period.
"The role of iar-ardmhéara Terence MacSwiney in those events was known internationally following his death on hunger strike in London. That the city now owns a sculpture of Terence MacSwiney’s death mask – which is both extremely startling and poignant to view – is so significant at a time when we need to invest in our history."
