Giant hurling statue set for site of first All-Ireland

A 16-foot statue commissioned to commemorate the site of the first All Ireland Hurling final will be unveiled in Birr at the end of January 2009. The first ever All Ireland Hurling Final was held at a site opposite the County Arms in Birr on April 1 in 1888. The game was played between Tipperary"s Sarsfields of Thurles and Galway"s Meelick Club. While not a high scoring match with Tipperary beating Galway 1-1 to 0.0, the game represented a historical moment for the game of hurling in Ireland. The site of the famous match is soon to become home to a Tesco store and the owners decided to commission a piece to commemorate the game. Mayo-based sculptor Mark Rode was offered the commission last year and is at the advanced stages of completing the piece. Mark has completed five public pieces around Ireland including two of a sporting nature. He created a footballing sculpture in Tralee to honour Kerry"s GAA successes and he completed a piece in Enniscorthy dedicated to Tour de France cyclists. As part of his research into the hurling statue, Mr Rode has visited Birr on a number of occasions and has been in talks with members of the Offaly County Board. Speaking of this latest commission he said: 'I am trying to represent something, as soon as you see it bang; you know straight away what it is,' he said. The bronze statue, which will sit on a sandstone plinth bearing a plaque, will portray a hurler in the old style with his hurl raised to strike a sliothar. A 22-year-old hurler called Enda Kenny from Tooreen Hurling Club in Mayo was chosen as the model for the sculpture and is said to be 'chuffed' about his role. While the young man"s physique will be used, Mr Rode said he has researched the type of hurl and clothing used back in 1888. He hopes to replicate these aspects in the piece. Mr Rode said the project is progressing well and he is now looking forward to unveiling the monument at the site towards the end of January.