Manannan Mac Lir: Statue by Game of Thrones sculptor back on Binevenagh

Manannán Mac Lir was hacked down and snatched last January, and the bizarre disappearance made world headlines.

The Bannside Ramblers stumbled across the damaged statue not far from its original spot, at Gortmore Viewing Point, close to a month after it went missing.

Thousands of people from around the world joined a Facebook page - Bring Back Manannán Mac Lir the Sea God - following its disappearance.

Limavady PSNI even launched a ‘missing person’ appeal and conducted a land and air search in a bid to track it down.

Sculptor, John Darren Sutton, who has worked on the hit TV show Game of Thrones, is the man behind the sculpture and has been working on the replacement statue for several months.

SDLP councillor Gerry Mullan is delighted to see the nine-feet two inches tall Manannán Mac Lir back on his boat.

“I think it could really benefit tourism in the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough, but it needs to be marketed properly. When it was stolen it became a worldwide phenomenon,” said Colr. Mullan. “I hope we can use the old one as an educational tool and to draw tourists.”