“An insult to Luke, his family and the area.”
A sculpture of legendary Irish folk singer Luke Kelly on the Royal Canal, between Guild St and Sheriff St, appears to have been vandalised for a second time this year.
It was vandalised for the first time in June of last year when Kelly’s eyes were covered with black paint. This time, Kelly’s face has been covered with blue paint, with marks around his eyes.
Speaking about the latest vandalisation of the statue, Burke had this to say: “I’m calling the individual who done [sic] this Luke to show some dignity and respect, you’ve brought an insult to Luke, his family and the area.”
Kelly himself was born in Lattimore Cottages at 1 Sheriff Street.
The piece was created by award-winning portrait artist Vera Klute and was originally erected in 2019.
Klute’s piece, which was commissioned by Dublin City Council, was selected as the winner of an esteemed competition created by the former Lord Mayor, Christy Burke, in 2014.
The statue is one of two of Kelly unveiled earlier in 2019. The other, on South King Street near St. Stephen’s Green, is a life-sized sculpture of Kelly playing the banjo.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
