Shirt Factory Sculpture's ‘Unsung Heroes'

THIS picture shows the sculpture created in honour of Derry’s shirt factory workers where it has lain in storage for the past eleven years.

- Alan Healy

The four-tonne steel wheel, an oversized replica of a classic Singer sewing machine, is the centrepiece of the Dublin based artist Louise Walsh’s monument to the women who worked in the city’s shirt industry.

The six-metre tall sculpture has lain in storage since 2006 the year Ms Walsh was awarded the £90,000 commission for the project by the then Department for Social Development (DSD).

The sculpture had been due to be located at the roundabout in King Street close to Ebrington Square, but was then switched to Harbour Square at the rear of the Guildhall due to planning problems.

Despite this, Ms Walsh said she was advised at the time to continue with the project, and had the wheel constructed at MIM Engineering in Maydown.

It has lain there ever since due to continuing setbacks and red tape, which in 2013 resulted in Ms Walsh walking away from the project due to her frustrations.

However, the project received a major boost last week when councillors on Derry City and Strabane District Council rejected a recommendation from its own planning department to refuse planning permission for the project.