The director of the Inner City Trust, Paddy 'Bogside' Doherty, has said he's delighted with the local support for his idea of a £15m statue of St Colmcille in the River Foyle.
And he said Manchester United wouldn't get a decent footballer for the same money!
Mr. Doherty told the 'Journal' yesterday: "All I can say is that whenever I try to do anything in this town, I get the support of everyone. This project seems to have
touched people's imaginations, and it's going to be hard work, but let's do it together."
By Julieann Campbell
The visionary idea has received widespread media attention and created much public debate since Paddy 'Bogside' Doherty presented the concept to Derry City Council earlier this week. Details of the ambitious St. Colmcille statue were first headlined in Wednesday's 'Foyle News'. Now it seems clear that if Council gives the project the green light, Derry could gain a huge landmark and a world-class tourist attraction for many generations to come.
Paddy said he was pleased at the attention the River Foyle Project has received since the images were made public. And speaking of the £15 million price tag for such a project, he added: "If Manchester United were buying a footballer tomorrow, they wouldn't get a good one for £15m. It is not a lot of money for what it is going to produce. It is an investment which will - hundreds of times - pay that money back to us."
St. Colmcille's connection with Derry goes back many centuries and actually gave the name Doire Colmcille to the
city in past centuries. Now the saint could dominate the riverscape, standing 160 feet tall. The Statue of Liberty stands more than 300 feet in the air, although half of that is the base.
Local sculptor, Maurice Harron, the artist responsible for many other highly-acclaimed sculptures in Derry and beyond, was initially sceptical about the project. However, he now believes the feat can be achieved over two years, using a 20-strong team.
Mr. Harron went on: "We envisage there would be a viewing platform inside - around about the neck area or shoulder area. This would give a 360 degree viewpoint. There would be river taxis to take people from the Cityside, from the Guildhall, and city council offices over, and a bridge to the Waterside."
Do you think the River Foyle Project is a good idea for Derry? Tell us what you think on 71. 272249 or email: julieann.campbell@jpress.co.uk.
