My submission in relation to the Réalt na Mara / Star of the Sea sculpture, that the start of the East Pier, under Tower Hill would not be a good location.

From: David Healy / Daithí Ó hÉalaithe
Sent: 13 August 2010 16:46
To: Customer Services
Subject: Proposed erection of a sculpture ‘Realt na Mára’ the Star of the Sea on the elevated section of the East pier of Howth Harbour at the junction of Harbour road and Balscadden road, Howth, Dublin 13.

Senior Executive Officer,
Community, Recreation and Amenities Department,
Fingal County Council,
County Hall, Main Street, Swords, Co. Dublin

A chara,

I refer to the above sculpture proposal.  Please find my submission below. It includes two questions. I would be grateful for a reply to these questions as soon as possible; I may wish to add to this submission on receipt of the information.

The single photomontage published for consultation demonstrates the inappropriate presence of 2 poles which would detract from the sculpture.   It is hard to believe that it is intended to locate the sculpture beside these poles.  The poles could presumably be removed; could you clarify if that is what is intended, please?

The photomontage doesn’t give the views of the sculpture from Harbour Road/the Harbour Promenade area or looking southward along the East Pier. These views are essential to consideration of the proposed location.

I was one of the small evaluation committee put together in relation to the proposal. As you know the sculpture competition did not relate to any particular location. The wider area considered was the peninsula but the core target area for all concerned was the Harbour area.  The view of the committee in selecting this particular sculpture was that to get the visual benefit of its reflective nature and its scale it needed to be exposed to the sea and sky as much as possible.  The proposed location at the foot of Tower Hill doesn’t meet that criterion.

The evaluation committee, considering that the sculpture needed to be exposed to the sea and sky as much as possible, discussed locations such as at the bend of the East Pier (53.391827,-6.062689) or  on the grassy triangle of the East Pier (53.391097,-6.064384)  The bend of the Pier strikes me as a suitable spot. The location on the triangle would need careful consideration and visual assessment from various locations due to the relative heights of the sculpture and surrounding structures and I doubt it would work.

I hope that the site isn’t being determined by a territorial dispute between the Council and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry who have responsibility for the Harbour. I would be grateful if you could clarify what other locations were considered and why they are not currently being proposed.

Regards,

David Healy

54, Páirc Éabhóra,
Beann Éadair,
Co. Bh.Á.C.