Two crystal sculptures made by a Waterford man to honour the three people killed in the 2013 Boston bombings and an MIT officer who died in a related shooting days later have been unveiled at a special event in the US.
Sean Egan, who is based at the Medieval Museum in Waterford's Viking Triangle, has in the past made specially commissioned pieces for the victims of the 9-11 atrocities, as well as a glass shamrock bowl which he personally delivered to US president Barack Obama in the White House.
The former Waterford Crystal employee was flown over to Massachusetts for the unveiling of his pieces, at Endicott House on the grounds of MIT.
The event was attended by mayor of Boston Martin Walsh, Boston Police Pipe Band, police commissioner William Evans, fire commissioner Joseph Finn, senator Mike Rush, State representatives Paul McMurtry and Tim Whelan, consul general Fiona Quinlan and Mayor of Waterford Cllr John Cummins.
It all began some fourteen months ago when Ralph Ingegneri, chair of the 2013 Marathon Tribute Memorial Group, and his wife Rose, were visiting Ireland to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. It was during this trip that they met Sean Egan at his workplace in the Medieval Museum and, impressed by his talents as an engraver, asked him to create a piece to commemorate Officer Collier.
Mr Egan was then commissioned to create a second piece at his workshop in the Medieval Museum, to honour those who were killed at the marathon on April 15th 2013. Both sculptures were completed by late March of this year, and delicately packaged before being flown to the States at the beginning of April.
Speaking after Friday’s unveiling at Endicott House, Mr Egan said he felt all his hard work had paid off, “Rose and Ralph were so emotional, they could barely speak. To also have the nayor of Boston at our event was amazing. It felt like we were in the movies. The Boston Police Pipe Band played during the ceremony. It was so wonderful to be part of it,” he said.
“The Boston establishment and the staff at MIT can’t do enough for us. They’re so chuffed and delighted that we made this journey over, and that we’ve thought about the Boston people and their suffering. We’re being treated so well,” he added.
Mayor of Boston Martin Walsh described the pieces as “fantastic” and assured Mr Egan that they would be given pride of place in the city “where millions of people around the world can see them.”
Speaking about the Boston bombings three years ago, mayor of Waterford Cllr John Cummins said “The loss of innocent lives and the grievous injury caused to decent people on what should have been such a joyful day in this great sporting City will never be forgotten. Indeed, the tremendous crystal sculptures before us, made in Waterford by the steady hand, extraordinary patience and creativity of Sean Egan are a fitting part of that remembrance.”
Mayor Cummins added that the pieces of art ‘speak to Waterford’s proud tradition of glassmaking going back to the 18th century.”
In total five people were killed and 280 injured in the terrorist attacks and subsequent related shootings in Boston three years ago. This year’s marathon took place on Monday . Mr Egan and the Mayor of Waterford were in attendance at the finish line.