Patsy unveils statue to her father

Kilcullen's Patsy O'Halloran was in Newry on Thursday for the unveiling of a statue to her father, Patrick Rankin, at Dublin Bridge in the city, writes Brian Byrne.

Several other members of the Rankin and O'Halloran families accompanied her for the event, organised by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council as part of its Decade of Centenaries Programme.

The unveiling was carried out by Patsy (90) and her sister Kate Bishop (82), with Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Patrick Rankin, then living in his native Newry, cycled 70 miles to Dublin to take part in the 1916 Easter Rising. He subsequently moved to Kilcullen, where he lived in Nicholastown.

At a reception after the unveiling, a talk on Patrick Rankin was given by Dr Éamon Phoenix.

Councillor Fitzpatrick described the statue as a 'lasting tribute to Patrick Rankin' and an 'appropriate way to bring to a close the Council’s very successful 2016 Decade of Centenaries Programme' (as reported on Newry.ie).

A model of the sculpture was presented to the family by the artist, Barry Linnane.

The inscription on the statue plinth was done by local Kilcullen man Joe O'Connor.

(Photographs with many thanks to Mark Pearce, New Ray Pics.)


Kilcullen and 1916.