Irish Examiner View: Yeats memorial fitting for current times
Some of the things that touch our soul - like art, music and poetry - may be neglected in the midst of calamity and crisis. It is of considerable merit, therefore, that the Office of Public Works has decided to continue with the restoration of the WB Yeats memorial in Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green.
Henry Moore's iconic 'Knife Edge' bronze sculpture was unveiled to the public in 1967 by the then Taoiseach Jack Lynch. At the ceremony, he noted the contribution the poet had made to the making of modern Ireland and quoted from Yeats’ patriotic poem, To Ireland In The Coming Times:
And may the thoughts of Ireland brood
Upon a measured quietude
The memorial lay neglected for decades. It is now in the process of getting a new lease of life which will be welcomed not just by local residents and visitors but my members of the wider arts community.
The surrounding memorial garden was designed not only as a backdrop to Moore’s sculpture, but as a performance space for oration and theatre.
Let us hope it will become a vibrant arts space once again.
