Facelift for the Market Square

In 2014, local resident Desmond Coen recalled for the Guaire Magazine the history of the statue of Christ the King in Gort’s Market Square. In 1932, Anne Coen had commissioned the statue in memory  Mattie Coen, who died in a motorcycle accident.

Christ the King has been an icon of Gort town ever since, but few may know that that the Dublin man who carved Padraig ̕O Conaire’s statue in Galway, Albert Power, did the inscription. Over time, the memorial suffered deterioration, as did the Square itself. Enter the Burren Lowlands!

The Burren Lowlands Group asked local architect Brent Mostert to develop a vision of the Statue in a rejuvenated square. In Phase One, completed January 2020, Jethro Sheen removed the worn iron railings around the statue base. These were replaced with cut limestone paving and the statue was cleaned years of accumulated debris. Already residents and visitors were sitting and talking at the base! 

Burren Lowlands just successfully applied for a Covid grant to complete Phase 2 of the renovations. Actual seating and planters will be installed, and the Square’s paving will be improved. Residents and tourists alike can get coffee or tea from the available shops and enjoy them outside, Socially Distant!

As the principle market town for the Burren Lowlands region, the Burren Lowlands Group is delighted with the result so far and wish to thank all involved in the project. This includes Joe Byrne, who coordinated with Galway County Council, all the local councillors and Gort Credit Union, all of whom contributed to funding the project. Thanks are due to Teresa Butler, Mairin Doody, Conservation officer, Feidhleim McGillycuddy, Gort area engineer and Pat Finn and the local Fas team. 

The new refurbishment of the monument gives a boost to the positive image of the town, as it welcomes the news that Failte Ireland’s Burren Discovery Trail will be coming though Gort in 2021.

As the principle market town for the Burren Lowlands region, the Burren Lowlands Group is delighted with the result so far but needs your help to raise match funding for Phase Two, scheduled for completion in time for Christmas. Your donation  at https://bit.ly/Christthekinggortfundraiser gets us closer to resurrecting the Square as the modern icon of Gort town! 

Thank you for reading, sharing and donating if you can!
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