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Community support brings St Mary’s Cathedral closer to restoring King Donal Mór O’Brien statue

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2 weeks ago

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Community support brings St Marys Cathedral closer to restoring King Donal Mór O’Brien statue. Noreen Ellerker, Tourism Officer and Caretaker at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo via St Mary’s Cathedral Facebook

St Marys Cathedral is closing in on its initial fundraising goal for the restoration of the statue of King Donal Mór O’Brien

Community support brings St Mary's Cathedral closer to restoring King Donal Mór O'Brien statue
Following years of exposure to the elements, the sculpture has suffered what they describe as “irreversible deterioration and ultimately collapsed”. Photo via St Mary’s Cathedral Facebook

Following the deterioration and collapse of the statue of King Donal Mór O’Brien in the St Mary’s Cathedral grounds, the church has set up a fundraiser to help restore and replace the iconic statue.

With an update on social media, the cathedral said, “What a community we have! Thanks to your incredible generosity, we are now just €200 away from reaching our initial fundraising target to help restore the King Donal Mór O’Brien statue.

“Every donation, every share, and every word of encouragement has brought us closer to giving this much-loved symbol of Limerick’s heritage a new lease of life.”


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The original sculpture was commissioned in 2020 to commemorate Donal Mór O’Brien, King of Munster and founder of Saint Mary’s Cathedral, one of Ireland’s most significant medieval ecclesiastical landmarks. The statue served as a powerful visual representation of Limerick’s rich heritage, connecting visitors, students, and the wider community with the city’s origins and cultural identity.

Following years of exposure to the elements, the sculpture has suffered what they describe as “irreversible deterioration and ultimately collapsed”.

The fundraiser has an initial goal of €2,200.

The loss of the statue, St Mary’s Cathedral says, represents not just the disappearance of a valuable artistic work, but “also the removal of a valued educational and heritage feature from the cathedral precinct”.

The fundraiser, with a goal of €2,200, will help commission a suitable replacement and preserve the historical legacy of Donal Mór O’Brien and Saint Mary’s Cathedral.

Writing on the GoFundMe, they said, ” The proposed project will involve either the replacement or creation of a new sculpture appropriate to the historical and architectural significance of the site. Consideration will be given to durable materials capable of withstanding environmental conditions while maintaining the artistic integrity of the original concept.”

You can support the fundraiser by donating through GoFundMe HERE.

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