Public Art in Lawrencetown

Diarmaid and Gráinne

Name of Artist: Pádraic Reaney

Materials Used: Cast Bronze and Limestone

Artist Statement:

From the day of the site visit I was taken by the site. The peace and serenity of this small
green space with its overhanging trees captured my imagination. We were told that there
was a Leaba Diarmaid agus Gráinne (Diarmaid and Gráinne's bed) in the area.

I could easily visualise Diarmaid and Gráinne, hiding in the forest, fleeing from Finn.
They have travelled a great distance on foot. It's late. Gráinne is exhausted and they
desperately need a safe place to sleep. They pause for a moment here under the
sheltering branches of this protecting tree. I was very conscious of the positioning
of the piece: that the tree would be incorporated in the overall design and the mood
of the sculpture.

The reason I chose this subject was the connection of Diarmaid and Gráinne to the area.
For many years I have worked on the story of the Táin Bó Cuailgne and other Irish tales
and therefore this was an extension of my previous work.