Longford welcomes addition of eye catching squirrel sculptures

Following on from the hugely successful appearance of ‘Mr. Nuts’ in Newtownforbes last February, three new squirrels were commissioned, named Myth & Legends, The Mythic, and The T-1911.

Iora Nua (‘Iora’ is the Irish for Squirrel) is a partnership project with County Longford Arts Office and is funded by the Creative Ireland programme and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The culmination of a three-year project involving Mide Arts Group and sculptor Tom Duffy, the eight-foot-tall, multi-coloured fibre glass squirrels were ‘released’ at the Market Square to the bemusement of passers-by.

County Arts Officer Fergus Kennedy said, “Longford County Council is delighted to partner on this project. Given the challenging time that we have just come through, art brightens up neighbourhoods and has a positive impact.”

Mide member and project founder Shane Crossan explained, “Iora Nua is a temporary public art project intended to support the enhancement of towns and villages. We chose the squirrel as a ‘cultural mascot’ for County Longford for many reasons. It’s a curious playful creature and when it sits upright, it makes for a pleasing form. It’s one of our oldest local species from a time when Ireland was covered in forests but more recently it shares a contested history with its American cousin, the Grey Squirrel, who visited Newtownforbes in 1911 – and never left’.

“It's important to note that Iora Nua (New Squirrel) is neither a ‘grey’ squirrel or a ‘red’ squirrel. Sculptor Tom Duffy designed the sculpture anatomically so that it would be a combination of both squirrels.”

The commissioned artists included Mary Fleming, Phil Atkinson and Kevin Flood.

All four Squirrels will ‘tour’ Longford this Summer before being placed permanently in Granard, Ballymahon, Longford and Newtownforbes.