Navan's Features
During 'lockdown' our movements have been restricted but this opportunity has meant that we've all discovered a little bit more about Navan. From walking around more we've certainly noticed features and landmarks that we once ignored. We were surprised how many pieces of art we actually came across although there's very little information displayed to tell us more about them.
How many of these do you recognise, and could you say where they can be found?
The 'Bull', the 'Carrying Man', the 'Dancers', the 'River' sculpture', the 'Millstone', the 'Hedge' maze, and more recently the 'Mural Wall' to highlight just a few that we'll explore over the coming weeks.
We start off with the one we've all driven past several times which surprisingly led to revelations about where we live.
The Dublin Road 'Tree Like' Sculpture.
Drive in from the south towards Navan along the Dublin Road and on the green just before the unfinished apartments and Maxol Garage is a single 10m tall silver branching sculpture. Most of us will have cast a casual glance as we pass by but have you wondered what it represents and why it's in Navan?
The steel structure, illuminated at night, has changed its original colour from blue to silver. This colour change together with the St Martha's Bridge construction ended the sculpture's unfortunate nickname as the 'Blue Loo'.
Searching online we found very little information other than it was erected in 1989/90, created by the sculptor Richard Enda King, and entitled 'The Fifth Province'.
Wait ! ..... What ?
You are rightly thinking that Ireland has 4 Provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster, and Connaught.
Then why symbolise County Meath as being the 5th ?
It transpires that Meath was indeed once one of the 5 provinces of Ireland. The Irish word for the territorial division, cúige, means "fifth part". Unfortunately Meath's 5th province status ended in 1610 when the English administration of James 1st struck us off the list, merged us into Leinster, and recorded the 4 that we observe today.
Previously Meath and Westmeath were one and the same to form this 5th province surrounded by the 4 larger provinces.
The map from 900AD illustrates many of the fluid territory boundaries but it's the name 'Kingdom of Mide' that we find most interesting since it translates as 'Middle Kingdom'. Although it sounds like a name from Lord of the Rings our present-day name of County Meath still means Middle County.
Why is the sculpture in Navan?
Yes, you've probably guessed already it's located roughly in the middle of 'Middle County'!
What about the abstract shape?
At the base of the sculpture a simple plaque states that it 'is symbolic of the ideal for the cultural integration of all the people of Ireland. The growth form is composed of four branches & a central upright stem which symbolises the flowering of the spirit of hope and peace'.
Many would describe the shape as a hand reaching up to the sky, or perhaps, is it suggesting something entirely different?
The sculpture certainly needs a clean!
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Navan's Features
We've all walked, or more likely driven, past the first item in our mini series about Navan's Art and you might be surprised to discover it's relevance to Meath.