Maurice Harron, Derry’s Sculptor - Our Space 69
Derry’s best-known sculptor is, of course, Maurice Harron. For his career as sculptor, artist and teacher in Derry, Belfast and Roscommon, he was honoured by Mayor Sandra Duffy “in recognition of his contribution as an art educator and artist”.
His public work can be seen across the North West and across Ireland, as well as in Chicago and Cambridge, USA.
Strabane has ‘Let the Dance Begin’. Feeny has its ‘Mythological Serpent’. Scalp Mountain has ‘The Gathering’. Buncrana has ‘Salmon Leap’. Dungiven has ‘Finvola, the Gem of the Roe’. Letterkenny has ‘The Hiring Fair’. Clonmany has ‘Children’s Play’. Limavady has ‘Leaping Dog’. And Belfast has Maurice’s great series of ‘Narnia’ statues beside Holywood Arches Library, Newtownards Road.
Derry has his ‘Peace Tree’ in Ebrington; and ‘The Task - Unity’ at Galliagh; as well as ‘ColmCille the Scribe’ and ‘The Wave’ at St Columb’s College. But for Derry people his best-known sculpture is the iconic ‘Hands across the Divide’ at Carlisle Square, symbolising community reconciliation.
What is less well known is that Maurice Harron originally designed those two figures to be actually shaking hands. But he was creating it in 1991, three years before the
1994 ceasefires - and, shortly before finalising the design, he moved the figures apart a little. “We’re not quite there yet”, was his thought. Perceptive and insightful as ever.
You can see his striking sculptures and paintings on his website www.mauriceharron.net
If possible see them on a big screen - a mobile phone can’t do them justice.