Bronze statue of St Patrick bequeathed to cathedral

A statue of St Patrick has been unveiled at Dublin's St Patrick's Cathedral. Along with a bust of the late President Childers, it is the only contemporary sculpture in the building.

The bronze figure, an early work of artist Melanie le Brocquy, was unveiled by the Earl of Rosse and dedicated by Dean Robert MacCarthy of St Patrick's last month.

It was donated by the retired Bishop of Limerick, Bishop Edwin Owen, in thanksgiving for 50 years in the ministry.

The sculpture has been described by the Rev A.E. Doolan in the Irish Art Handbook as "an arresting work, but not showing the conventional St Patrick so loved by Irish sculptors - a portly gentleman wearing his mitre and robes, and grasping his crozier, he banishes the reptiles out of Ireland . . . such a man could hardly have converted an almost barbarian race." Patrick was rather as Ms le Brocquy had conceived him. "Dynamic, tenacious and able to outcast the Druidic spells with greater Christian spells; a man of force and mystery who could convince and transform a wayward nation," he said.