Cobh Tourism is delighted to lead a project that will see Cobh's most famous daughter and world class athlete, Sonia O’Sullivan eternally honoured in her home town with a life size bronze statue. This statue in the centre of a picturesque town and in the shadow of St. Colman’s Cathedral will be photographed by thousands of visitors every year and these images shared with their family and friends around the world.
Cobh is Ireland’s only dedicated cruise port, capable of accommodating the largest cruise ships in the world and attracts in excess of 100,000 cruise passengers annually. Overland visitor numbers to Cobh have grown sharply since the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic was commemorated in 2012 and the ongoing development of Spike Island (accessed via Cobh) will see this trend continue. The statue will be situated on the approach to Kennedy Pier and at the exit of Titanic Experience which is one of our premier tourist attractions.
This statue will contribute to Cobh's sense of place and will tell the story of a world class athlete that is proud to call Cobh "home”. It will also convey the immense sense of pride that Irish people have for this amazing Cobhite.
A local artist, of exceptional ability James McLoughlin was successful in his bid to craft this statue and work is currently underway. See http://woodsculpturearts.com for examples of his expert and exquisite craftsmanship.
The rough cast of the statue is now standing and the fine detail will be painstakingly and skillyfully added over the coming months
€33,000 needs to be raised before August 2015 when it is planned to unveil the statue on the 20th anniversary of Sonia winning a gold medal in the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships. To date €20,000 has been raised and a facility is in place to bring the statue to the bronze casting stage. Local clubs and organisations in Cobh have been asked to organise their own fundraising events to contribute towards the costs. A “Strictly Come Dancing” type event held on 13th February 2015 saw dazzling display of ballroom routines, glitz and glamour and a celebrity judge or two make it a great night out. It also raised in excess of €10,000.
To discuss sponsorship of the Sonia O'Sullivan statue, to make a donation towards the fund or to enquire about becomming a dancing contestant please contact Cobh Tourism by emailing hendrickverwey@gmail.com or phone Hendrick on 087 2593850.
