On your left, you will spot a tall stone plinth crowned with dark bronze statues, featuring a life-sized bronze figure standing beside a large plaque. You might assume this grand structure was always meant for the nineteen sixteen Easter Rising, but this plinth has an explosive past. Originally, it held a statue of Viscount Fitzgibbon, a nobleman killed in the Crimean War. That original figure met a sudden end when nationalists blew it up in nineteen thirty. You can check your screen to read about this dramatic history. The replacement took decades. Sculptor Albert Power began the project, but his son James finally finished it in nineteen fifty-four. The top bronze figures depict Mother Ireland alongside local rising participants Tom Clarke, Ned Daly, and Con Colbert. Tap your app for a closer look at those intricate top statues. Since it sits outside on the bridge, the memorial is open twenty-four hours a day. It remains a bold tribute to those who fought for Irish independence. Take a moment to soak this in, and when you are ready, we can head to the next stop.
