asked the Minister for Finance whether, in view of the world distinction achieved by George Bernard Shaw and in view of the benefits accruing to his native city from the works of this great freeman of Dublin, he will now arrange to have Shaw's wish fulfilled, i.e., that his statue by Troubetzkoy should be publicly displayed at Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Display of George Bernard Shaw Statue.
43.
No proposal has been made to me for display of a statue of Shaw in St. Stephen's Green.
It has not been possible to trace any expression of a wish by Shaw to have his statue by Troubetzkoy exhibited in St. Stephen's Green. The statue referred to appears to be one in bronze by Troubetzkoy which is in the National Gallery—for which it was purchased in 1938—and this statue is on exhibition in one of the rooms there.
In some private letters (addressed to a Mr. Paddy O'Reilly) Shaw did express a wish that this statue should be exhibited (after his death) outside the Gallery—either in Merrion Square or on Leinster Lawn. (In one of the same series of letters he made a reference (probably facetious) to the possibility of a reproduction of it being set up on College Green.) There is no reference therein to St. Stephen's Green.
Other representations of Shaw in painting or in sculpture were bequeathed by him to the several institutions in which they stood at the time of his death.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that as this great international literary figure brought considerable credit to his native city, and was associated with the Green more than with other parts of the city, it is appropriate that the statue should be displayed in the Green?
The Office of Public Works is only the executing agent. I agree that there are some vacancies for statues, at present, in various locations.