The role played by women in Kerry during the revolutionary period in Ireland between 1912 and 1923 has been acknowledged with the unveiling of a commemorative sculpture in Tralee.
The sculpture, a bronze casting of a woman in uniform raising the Irish flag, is the first memorial of its kind in the country.
Kerry was a hotbed of activity during the revolutionary period, from 1912 to 1923, but the role played by women in Kerry – and elsewhere – during that time was largely ignored for decades.
In 2023, five female members of Kerry County Council – Norma Moriarty, Aoife Thornton, Deirdre Ferris, Maura Healy-Rae and Marie Moloney – voted to commission a sculpture to acknowledge and celebrate the role played by women in the county during that time.
Kerry County Council became the first local authority in the country to do so.
The result is a 2.5 metre bronze-cast sculpture of a woman in uniform marching forward purposefully, raising the Irish flag.
Work under way on the ‘Spirit of the Kerry Women’ sculpture
Her expression and raised chin are aimed at signifying courage, resilience, and leadership. The sculpture is titled ‘Spiorad Ban Chiarraí’ or ‘Spirit of the Kerry Women’.
The sculpture took 18 months to complete. It was created by the award-winning portrait sculptor, Elizabeth O’Kane.
She worked with live models to capture the sculpture’s contrapposto pose. To ensure historical accuracy in the clothing and accessories, she referenced period uniforms associated with Cumann na mBan and Cumann na Saoirse, complete with a Sam Browne belt and Slouch hat.
“The sculpture was a year and a half in the making, from sculpting the larger-than-life size clay figure in my studio, to the many months of highly skilled bronze casting carried out in a Dublin foundry,” said Elizabeth O’Kane.
Elizabeth was awarded the commission for the sculpture following an open call for submissions. She is a member of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, and her work can be seen in Leinster House, the European Parliament, Shannon Airport and Irish embassies in London and Washington.
She has sculpted John Hume, Dr Garrett FitzGerald, and John Count McCormack.
It took sculptor Elizabeth O’Kane 18 months to complete ‘Spiorad Ban Chiarraí’
“From start to finish, it has been a labour of love – artists often claim to suffer for their work, but I have the X-ray to prove it,” Elizabeth said.
“A fractured wrist in the middle of the project was extremely untimely, but I am immensely proud of the final result. It has been a privilege to commemorate Spiorad Ban Chíarraí with a sculpture that celebrates the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of the women of Kerry.’
The sculpture was unveiled in Tralee Town Park by those who voted to commission it.
Mayor of Tralee, Councillor Angie Baily, described the sculpture as an evocative and vibrant tribute to the role played by women in Kerry during the years before Irish independence was achieved.
“This is a beautiful memorial which reflects the wide and diverse roles of Kerry women during the revolution, whether they took part in combat or contributed to a wide range of social, cultural and political activities and organisations like Cumann na mBan,” Cllr Baily said.
Mayor of Tralee, Cllr Angie Baily
“Sadly, for too long, the story of these women during this period was sidelined and ignored and I believe that this sculpture will encourage new engagement with the remarkable role of the women of Kerry during this formative and turbulent time.”
The sculpture will stand in the Town Park in Tralee to commemorate the women who shaped this country during the troubled but pivotal early years of its history.