There is something slightly difficult to accept about the story of one of Mallow’s most recognisable pieces of public art.
Horses and Riders, the striking limestone sculpture by renowned Irish sculptor Michael Quane, stood proudly at the centre of the Annabella Roundabout for more than two decades.
Commissioned by Cork County Council in 1995 under the Per Cent for Art Scheme, the 2.2-metre sculpture was carved from a remarkable 25-tonne block of Kilkenny limestone.
For generations of people travelling through Mallow, the horses and riders became a familiar landmark and part of the town itself.
Now, following its removal from Annabella, the sculpture is set to be placed beside the footpath on the southern approach road into Mallow.
But is that really the best location?
In 2024, Horses and Riders was selected for an An Post national stamp series celebrating Irish public art, putting a piece of Mallow’s public art heritage on a national stage.
The sculpture has also spent a significant period in storage while its future location is resolved.
Surely, when it finally returns to Mallow, it deserves a setting where people can properly see it, appreciate it and understand its significance.
Its original position at Annabella made it a landmark. Perhaps there is an opportunity to find another prominent location where it can once again become part of the fabric of the town, rather than simply something people pass on the way into Mallow.
The proposed location may ultimately prove suitable, but given the sculpture’s history, scale and national recognition, surely it is worth asking whether a better home can be found.
Where is the best place in Mallow for this incredible piece of artwork?