The Mystery of the Warrior’s Knob
After a very pleasant 10 days spent holidaying in beautiful Kerry, I've passed the last 72 hours (and counting) laid up in bed with an extremely nasty flu (complete with mild bouts of delirium).
On one of my very rare trips from the bed to the computer I stumbled across the below photo and was reminded of a question asked (by Copernicus) on this very blog way back in December of 2005:1
The question concerned a "giant warrior figure in the People's Park [Limerick]" who (as Copernicus put it) "kept getting its knob chopped off, supposedly by outraged citizens". I hadn't thought about this emasculated artwork in years, and, since my memories of the specifics were fairly vague, I vowed to do a bit of digging to see if "before" and "after" images of the warrior could be found.
As is often the case, this resolution faded within hours (or possibly minutes) and I thought no more about till yesterday when – while idly flicking through Flickr – I happened upon the above, showing none other than the bould warrior himself. Though it is, as far as I know, the only online image of a once semi-notorious piece of public art (I think it appeared and disappeared within the space of a few years in the early 90s), it does not, alas, show whether the figure is sans knob or avec knob.
While my murky memory correctly visualised it covered in war paint, holding a spear, and riding an ancient Celtic skateboard – I'd failed to recall that it was Janus-faced (isn't Janus of Roman origin?) and possessed of a rather feminine (or, at least, ambiguous) body. Perhaps those readers well-versed in Celtic mythology and iconography could offer a reading of its many curious features?
While I'm in the mood to pester for information, can any Limerickians answer the following?
a) Who was the artist?
b) When did it first appear? Who commissioned it? [I have a feeling that it was created to mark a special occasion/anniversary...but I could be wrong]
c) How many times did it have penile-removal surgery performed on it (I know it was more than once)?
d) Where is it now?
I'd also be keen to find out what happened to the stolen penises, which were, as I recall, of fairly realistic (if not generous) proportions (a far cry from the classic "periwinkle" of Michelangelo's David et al). It's possible that this conspicuousness was what most offended the easily offended (although, as I said before, I have a sneaking suspicion that "common or garden vandals hiding behind a cloak of supposed 'moral outrage'" were really to blame).
I do remember a horrified letter sent to the Limerick Leader by some chap who'd been strolling in the park with his young daughter. Apparently their happy family occasion was destroyed by rounding a corner and coming face-to-phallus with the offending appendage (which, I recall, he described as "pointing straight at me"). Lord save us.
I'm off back to bed. Anyone with any information on the above can send a postcard to the usual address (i.e. leave a comment), or contact An Garda Síochána.
- Many thanks to Flickr user "MacClure" for permission to reproduce it here. [back]
August 24, 2007
13 responses to The Mystery of the Warrior’s Knob
I sent you a mail with what I know, but will try to get more detail on it later as a relative of mine worked on the statue.
It was constructed in either the very late eighties or very early nineties. I am thinking 1990 or 91.
Anyway, what I can remember is that it was referred to as “The Wounded King” and had been the subject of vandalism by idiots at the time. Personally I thought it was a great piece of work.
I believe it was also made of wood. Some of the things done to it were its member was removed and on one occasion someone put a giant nappy on it.
The statue went on tour and was never seen again. I have no idea where it is now, it might have even been destroyed.
A project of a similar nature, were it to take place today, would, I imagine would be more appreciated today.
squid, thanks for all the info.
Considering the indignities he suffered at the hands of vandals, “The Wounded King” seems a fairly appropriate name for the statue. Talk about the unkindest wound of all…
I note in your email that you mention how the Daily Mirror picked up the story. Doubtless they had some crass punning headline, RE: the sliced off organ, and interviewed some local prudish crank on the subject of shameless nudity in art.
The notion of it going on tour is an intriguing one – though considering the fact that it’s mounted on wheels not that surprising. Your email mentions Belfast. Could that have been its final port of call? Had it, by then, lost any more of its bits and pieces?
By the way, it’s hard not to admire someone who’d go to the trouble of making a giant nappy for a “naked” statue.
According to this he went on tour
http://www.zanitafilms.com/paki.htm
and like yourself, age is getting the better of my memory, it was Tyrone, and not belfast, but it did go north of the border.
That link confirms that a “Paki Smith” and a “Ronan Halpin” were responsible for the creation of the piece (in 1991).
From the description…
…I don’t think it actually went north of the border, as the “Tyrone Guthrie” centre is (somewhat confusingly) actually located in Monaghan.
Still no word on its current whereabouts, so I might email Mr. Smith to ask him what he remembers of “knob gate”.
Right, the person I referred to in my email to you still has all the photos, newspaper clippings and even photos of the thing being built.
I should have them either tomorrow or monday and will scan the lot for you.
That’s fantastic. I’ll make this a little shrine to the much-wounded Wounded King.
Thanks squid.
No warrior should be deprived of his weapon.
Why is he carrying a branch? Maybe he was one of the Red Branch Knights…
It reminds me of a proposal some years ago that the city of Florence give to the city of Jerusalem a full scale marble copy of Michelangelo’s David to commemorate the foundation of Jerusalem by the biblical king David. It caused a great controversy in the ‘holy’ city with Islamic, Jewish and Christian fundamentalists briefly united in their determination not to be offended by the sight of a marble willie. I do not recall if the statue ever got to Jerusalem, but it was suggested that the problem might be overcome by clothing it in a giant pair of boxer shorts.
I seem to recall it was somehow mixed up in the Treaty Treehundred malarky, though given the location and artiness it might have been EV+A related. Ah Treaty Treehundred, what a pointless excerise that was, not even a commemorative 50p piece to show for it (see under Dublin Millenium & Cork 800). (this ended up in the wrong place earlier)
I hope the poor fellow didn’t have a heart attack like the chairman of the self-styled League of Decency who dropped dead after seeing a semi-nude model on Irish telly. The poor old devil.
The semi nude model wouldn’t have happened to have featured on the spike by any chance, which co-incidentally, was the nickname given to the St. Augustinian school back in the eighties.
Anyway, a bit of a delay in digging out the stuff relating to this, I will find it, however the person that has it is currently occupied with the whole back-to-school malarky and has a small baby which keeps her busy.
not to fear however, the material is there, it just needs to be found in fifteen years worth of … stuff.
Any news on the stuff being found in the stuff, squid?
Oh and Ithaca, as with most things The Simpsons has covered the David in boxer shorts (or jeans) angle. God help us all if a small cock was loosed upon the world…
The Wounded King was commissioned by Limerick City Council as a community based art projet in Weston in 1991 as part of Limerick’s Treaty 300 Celebrations. The artists were Paki Smith and Ronan Halpin. The sculpture travelled to Temple Bar and was sited for a year on the then derelict site of Temple Bar Gallery. It then went to Derry where it was destroyed by a group of young people
Thanks for that Sheila. I must admit I’m eager to hear more of the story behind your summary of the King’s final stand.
Wha’ happened?