Farmleigh International Sculpture Symposium

Hybrid Vigour, Farmleigh House, Dublin.

Farmleigh International Sculpture Symposium 2005, was organised by Sculpture in Context. Three Irish and three international artists created new works based on the theme of Biodiversity, from a range of materials including stone, metal and wood. Visitors to Farmleigh House and Gardens could to see how the six sculptors worked with their chosen materials. The works remain in the gardens of Farmleigh House, which is open to the public Thursdays to Sundays in the summer months.

Hybrid Vigour
Hybrid Vigour is an agricultural term describing the crossing of two different pure breeds or varieties, the offspring of which can be more vigorous than either parent. In order to achieve this you need a large undiluted gene pool of differentiated stock from which to select the parents. This piece was inspired by my grandfather Seamus Mac Raighnaill, Gardener, Irish language teacher, dancing master, musician, actor, and revolutionary, who lived in the environs of Castleknock.

Title: Hybrid Vigour
Medium: Irish Limestone
(quarried at Lecarrow County Roscommon,
by James Murphy & Sons, Sandyford)
200cm x 77cm x 55cm