A Púca sculpture with a Fr Ted opposing it.
The creator of the controversial ‘Púca of Ennistymon’ said today that the artwork “is the best thing I have ever done” and described condemnation by a local priest as 'Fr Ted Stuff'.
In an interview, Dublin-based artist, Aidan Harte said that “if the people of Ennistymon don’t get this I believe it will be a missed opportunity for the town. I hope that they see the light.”
Mr Harte was speaking four days after Clare County Council announced that the €30,000 project has been ‘paused’ after a local backlash against the plan. The opposition against the bronze two-metre high Púca even involved local parish priest, Fr Willie Cummins denouncing the planned Púca from the altar at mass last Sunday, describing it as ‘sinister’.
Mr Harte said today: “Up until now there has been an organised minority that have been protesting against it but now more voices are speaking up and we will see how the chips fall.”
The artist claimed that “there are a helluva lot of people from Clare saying that it is great”.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40288217.html