The unveiling of a new sculptural memorial to Co. Kildare patriot and financier of the 1916 rising, John Devoy, took place in Naas on Sunday the 25th of October.
The Mayor of County Kildare, Cllr. Brendan Weld was joined by US Ambassator, Kevin O'Malley in pulling the chord to unveil the life-size bronze figure in front of a large crowd gathered at Poplar Square at 2.00 p.m.
The unveiling was also attended by County Kildare public representatives, representatives of the John Devoy Memorial Committees of New York and Naas, Kildare County Council, Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee, Kill Local History Group and Naas Local History Group who funded the plinth for the memorial.
The John Devoy Memorial Committee was founded in Naas by local man Seamus Curran in 2008. The Committee struggled to attract funding in the recessionary period and the County Kildare Association of New York offered help. A New York John Devoy Memorial Committee was set up as a subcommittee of the County Kildare Association and quite quickly raised $45,000 to erect the statue. The location for the monument was chosen by the Naas and New York Committees with the agreement of Kildare County Council.
Cast by sculptor Jarlath Daly the life-size statue of John Devoy was erected near to where Devoy worked and across the street from Our Lady and St. David’s Catholic Church, where he was condemned from the pulpit, in 1865, by Fr. Hughes for his political activities in the name of Irish freedom.
Attendees at the unveiling included:
Memorial: Jarlath Daly (Sculptor); John Flood, Seamus Byrne (All Stone)Defence Forces: Lft. Brian Lane and Colour Party; Lt.-Col. Cyril Whelan
2016 Project Office - An Ceannfort Stephen MacEoin, Michael O' Reilly
McAuley Place: Catherine, Mark
Music: Philip Scott; St. Conleth's Pipe Band O.N.E. - Philip and Anthony Coy
New York: Mike and Anne Flood, Pat and Kathleen Smyth, Garrett
Doyle and all from the Kildare Association of New York
Naas & Co. Kildare: Naas Local History Group, Mona Conroy, Owen C. Lynch, Tony
and Mark at Naas Printing; Tony Keane (Photographer), Bill Clear and Naas Tidy Towns.
Sgt. Gerald Goode,Inspector Glennon and Naas Gardaí
Conor Graham, Merrion Press; Terry Golway; Adhamhnán Ó
Súilleabháin; Lord Edward's Own Historical Re-enactment Group
US Embassy: Ambassador O'Malley - Staff: Caitriona, Debra and Chris
Kildare Library and Arts Service: Mario Corrigan, Lucina Russell, Karel Kiely, Damien Dollard, Ronan O'Dwyer, Eoghan Doyle, Hilda Minchin, Historian in Residence James Durney,
Kildare County Council: David Reel, Patricia McNeela, Michael Hurley, Josh Halligan, Annette Aspell, Pat McCormack, Decade of Commemorations Committee, Co. Heritage Officer Bridget Loughlin, Chief Executive Peter Carey, Directors of Services Eamon O'Sullivan, Peter Minnock
Public representatives: Mayor, Cllr. Brendan Weld, Cllr Fiona O'Loughlin, Cllr. Anne Breen
Photo: Mayor of County Kildare Cllr. Weld and US Ambassator Kevin O'Malley unveiling the sculpture of John Devoy in Naas on the 25th of October, 2015.
Photo credit: Seán Sourke
