ONE OF the largest single art installations in the country has been unveiled in memory of murdered Limerick rugby player Shane Geoghegan on the third anniversary of his death.
Inspired by the unearthing of the Terracotta Army in China, buried in 220 BC, the Pitch for Shaneart project consists of more than 20,000 clay figures made by people all over the world.
The pitch refers to a notional rugby pitch in memory of the 28-year-old Garryowen rugby player who was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity near his home in Limerick on November 9th, 2009. The exhibition is intended to be a tribute not only to Mr Geoghegan but to all innocent victims of violence, and to be a tribute also to the sporting and cultural ethos of Limerick.
His mother Mary Geoghegan and his brother Anthony were among those who attended the official opening of the exhibition at City Hall in Limerick yesterday.
Speaking on behalf of his family, Mr Geoghegan’s aunt, Margaret Walsh, the driving force behind the art project, said: “It’s a very, very sad day for us because the loss of Shane has left a very large void in the people’s lives who loved him and it [the exhibition] is a distraction really.”